The Karen Meme

[nwhiker]

There is an article today in Business Insider that I was able to read via my news app, but can't seem to find online... Anyhow, it talked about the Karen Meme, how it became a meme, and how, now more than ever, a Karen is a middle aged white woman who is being racist in public, and thus has the potential of harming Blacks or other minorities.

First, to be very clear: I am not, and will would, dispute the existence of racist and very racist white people in general and white women in particular. The fact that there are Karens out there doing serious harm or threatening serious harm is horrific. I am not, either, disputing the fact that White Feminism is often toxic. Want a good example? Look at some of the threads promoting Elizabeth Warren as VP on twitter.

That isn't the point I want to discuss. It's the sexism.

Note that the embodiment of racism in the US has become... a white woman. Not a white man.

There have been pages written, legitimately, on how white women profit from white supremacy, and how we can use the power of white men, both literally and in the institutions white men have created, to further our needs and wants at the expense of minorities.

What I am concerned about is the fact that white men (#NotAllWhiteMen) use the Karen thing to hide behind. Racism now has a human face, and it's a blond woman. I see men on twitter, white men, constantly pushing Karen memes. Mainly liberal white men, of course.

There is a segment of society where being a racist is perfpectly acceptable. These people were always there, they did not suddenly become racists when Trump came down that escalator. However, they were still, for many -not all- slightly ashamed of that racism, aware that it really wasn't ok. Now, they're loud and proud about.

But they're not the ones I'm talking about, with the Karen-as-the-face-of-racism. I'm talking about liberals. MY people, ya know?

Some of these people wouldn't describe themselves as racist. I get that. All I can say is that I try not be let my racism take over, and I try to act in an anti-racist manner. I work at it.

The issue I'm seeing how is many men are hiding their own racism behind ours. These are people who decry "identity politics" (note, liberals) but who are more than happy to heap all racism on top of women, leaving liberal men unscathed.

I have a bit of a problem with that. Own your own racism dudes!

Comments

[minoanmiss]

Surfing by, I've paused to agree with you. I think the 'Karen' meme both describes a real issue and does so in a way that scapegoats women and lets men off the hook, exactly as you describe. I want a way of pointing out these ways in which White people claim victimhood as a means of promoting racism that doesn't let White men disclaim either their direct use of these methods or their willingness to provide the violence needed to enforce them when White women use them. Simply castigating other women doesn't actually make me safer as a woman of color.

(Also, good luck with the macaroni and cheese thing. You can buy cheese powder in one-pound jars, which might allow the child who lives on Mac and cheese to do so without everyone having to eat what she eats for dinner.)

[nwhiker]

Oooh, I may have to try the cheese powder... maybe we can come up with a cheese mix that is less awful that the packaged stuff. Thank you!

I want a way of pointing out these ways in which White people claim victimhood as a means of promoting racism that doesn't let White men disclaim either their direct use of these methods or their willingness to provide the violence needed to enforce them when White women use them

This, exactly, thank you for saying it so clearly. I have no sympathy for the Karens, I just don't want them/us to take the societal blame for something that exists is all genders of white people.


Love your avatar! :)

[nwhiker]

Oh man! I just went to your journal. You have a whole bunch of gorgeous avatars, not just one! Like!