Dear Karen at the grocery store:
 

I hope you are OK. You told me to "move back" while I patiently waited beside my cart at the beginning of the conveyor belt for you to finish your transaction at the cashier so I could place my items on the belt. Some people are very stressed during this time, which is why I did not engage with you. Peace.

If we all had your attitude it would be a nicer experience.

In your thread title, you referred to your fellow customer as a “Karen.” This kind of name calling is sexist and racist. Further, there is nothing wrong with requesting someone to back off.

Rather than being so proud of yourself that you did not “engage,” you might ask yourself why you needed to use a derogatory term.

How difficult was it to back up?

Why is calling her Karen derogatory and racist?

Recent definition of stereotype Karen from google: “ ENTITLED, middle-aged, WHITE WOMAN”. So it is meant to be derogatory, racist and sexist.
Wiki uses the term “pejorative” to describe it.

Karen is just a general term female were as Ken is for the male gender

Google is your friend.

Not unless Ken is also a pejorative term.

times now is driving some people over the edge when they were already tittering mentally before?

Stand back, don't approach or put items on conveyor belt until the person ahead pays and leaves, I was told at the little WMT.

No, it is not. It is only used to insult middle-aged white women.

kathy

Maybe she had a "Karen" name tag on when she was shopping? Or someone called her "Karen" while in line.

I notice a lot of Villages' area workers who have name tags on when doing their shopping. Especially nurses around the Publixes on US 441/27.

New one on me, never heard of calling someone Karen is a put down.

OH FOR PETE's SAKE.

WHO decided Karen was a derogatory term rather than one that people use playfully to describe an ordinary woman??? I personally know and call friend six people named Karen. It is a name with a lot of use for sure.

I am SERIOUS. Where did you read that the name Karen was derogatory rather than just a way to enjoy what cat's say to their owners in memes??? WHO decided it was a bad word??? I missed that important opinion piece.

P.S. Love to all my Karens who for some reason all are nurses. I don't know why. Some are in their forties and most are in their sixties or early seventies.

It is a recent term, perhaps brought out by fear of being middle-aged and vulnerable to Covid, not that I am excusing them.

It's something you learn when you live anywhere OTHER than the bubble :)

Here's a great *totally acted* version of a Karen. It's an ASMR version so you might have to turn your volume up a bit to hear her.

Karen Wants to Speak With the Manager! (ASMR) - YouTube

It dates back before COVID-19, but it is still relatively recent (within the last couple of years).

Who manufactured it???

I bet some young woman who sits knees to knees in a small office in Manhattan and may be in charge of writing opinion for some newspaper or some major news media.

https://img.memecdn.com/kareeeeeeen_c_7259674.jpg

You would be incorrect.

Its most likely origin is reddit. That's where most memes originate.

You know, I hate it when I get really annoyed about something, but when I relay my story to anyone else, they don’t think it’s worth being annoyed about. My patience with everyone and everything has been lacking in the past few days.

So, I’m going to try and be supportive with cdhw@ and say “you did good at holding your tongue, and the person in front of you was wrong!”

This new society.
So thin skinned.
Always looking for an insult, and waiting to be offended.
This 'woke' generations would never have survived growing up when 'I were a lad!'
Spineless!!

I've known many nice women named Karen as well as many nice Ken's. The name given describes the entitled ones who believe they are chosen ones to dictate how others should live and possess a self assigned duty to do so. The term for these people are just another new buzz word. They do exist inside the bubble as well.

I challenge that we need to swallow anything whole because a small group decides to either embrace it or dismiss it.

Or in other words. Bull****.

And I am angry that someone would write that people who live in "The Bubble" are insular and unread.

It makes me want to bite when I see a new word or attitude shoved at us like someone just got some new news from the "Mount".

I am especially sensitive to name calling of any kind. That’s how I raised. That’s how we raised our family.

Think what a better world this would be if there was no name calling. It is NEVER kind. It is always meant to hurt. It is not cool.

Namaste.

SNARL! Give it a rest!

How about giving everyone an extra distance, farther than you might think is necessary?? A lot of people seem unable to ascertain what six feet or more actually is.

I will (and have) definitely ask anyone to step back and give me some room if I want to. I don’t care what you think or call me. I respect others space. Your whole “Karen” thing, that’s your problem. It’s a big planet, you do not have to be on top of me in a line. Wait patiently another few feet away. Is that so hard? Sounds to me like you have the problem Of a lack of undersatnading other peoples space. You were too close. Perhaps you should be more aware??

AND calling someone out as “Karen” is a veiled swipe because you are so “patient” as not to engage her but to feel sorry and hope she is ok? Nice try... look inward.

Karen (pejorative - Wikipedia)

I guess I am not as up on the lingo as I thought I was.

Just another "gift" from the Millennial generation. You know, the ones who were never taught history, think Marxism is OK, etc.

amen

Wait until Karen barks at the wrong person and someone bitch slaps her.

Definately. People are so sensitive today giving the fact the media certainly is helping matters. Turn off the news and enjoy life.

Same here. I just think of Karen as a female name. Just like Mary, Joan, Barbara etc.

Karen is a name and people deciding Karen is a racist person is just nonsense and that is my final word on the subject

Ok, Boomer :)

You weren't there to witness what happened, so how do you know how far apart they were.

FYI

Karenitis

A disease that causes middle aged entitled women to behave like animals when they don’t get their way. If met with resistance from people, the Karenitis will start to develop. Symptoms include dramatic outburst, arguing with strangers about random things that don’t concern them, and asking to speak to ones manager. May also include threats of suing or calling the police. A lifelong virus that can only be cured by public exposure and losing her job.

‘’That crazy older woman has the Karenitis! That is why she blows up in public over things that are none of her business"

Someone needs to get a life