what are karens

"Karen" is a pejorative term used as slang for a middle-class white woman who is perceived as entitled or demanding beyond the scope of what is normal. The term is often portrayed in memes depicting middle-aged white women calling the police on Black people. The "Karen" stereotype is associated with behaviors that stem from privilege, such as demanding to "speak to the manager" in order to belittle service industry workers, being anti-vaccination, and carrying out racist micro-aggressions, such as asking to touch Black peoples hair. The term has picked up a ton of traction on the internet, becoming the butt of online jokes. The Karen meme is rooted in black American internet culture, an attempt to find humor in real-world racism and oppression. The term has also been used to refer to conservative women who are pushing their agenda on others. The term "Karen" is not limited to middle-aged white women, and anyone of any race can be a Karen.