Women are deciding to change their legal names from “Karen” after the name has become linked to problematic events.
Since 2020, the name “Karen” has been known to describe middle-aged white women who are extremely rude and racist. The name became more popular following the murder of George Floyd in May 2020.
Originally, the name derived from greek word that means “pure” with nearly 2% of baby girls being born with the name in the mid-1950s. However, the name now has a different connotation that’s associated with racist micro-aggressions.
According to Urban Dictionary, “Karen” is described as everything from “a blonde woman who wants to speak to the manager” to someone who “make the lives of others miserable especially the lives of minimum-wage workers.” The website also states that a “Karen” is “a f*cking b*tch that only feels anger and will not rest until her wrath is felt across the entire BigLots, Walmart, Target, etc.”
Small business owner, Karen Taylor, has revealed that she no longer chooses to be addressed as her legal name.
“As someone named Karen, when you go home and turn on the TV or go on the internet, you’re as likely as not to see your name being misused,” Taylor told The Post. “You walk around with a tag that says ‘racist.’”
Nevertheless, Taylor decided to change her name to a different one with a Gaelic origin. She is now in the process of making the new name legal and permanent.
“It took me a couple of sleepless weeks to decide I had to change my name,” she said. “Karen is a great name, and being forced to give up your name, the first thing your parents gave you, is a big deal.”
Karen, you might consider the millions of women kidnapped from Africa who were literally given another name, and forced into slavery, raped and their children taken to be enslaved before you complain that the toxic behavior of white women gave rise to the “Karen” meme. You treasure your name because your parents gave it to you, yet white people forcibly kidnapped Black mothers, fathers and children. We, white people, separated families. Maybe deep connection to your name could help you develop empathy for the millions of Black people enduring generational trauma and cultural erasure followed by cultural appropriation. Many Black people have their names ridiculed by white women in the workplace. Grown Black men were and are called “boy” by white women. Your name was appropriated to illustrate a cultural phenomenon of white women engaging in racist micro aggression. No one will think of you as a “Karen” unless you act like one – and you could become an anti-racist rather than a typical white woman throwing a pity party.
Maybe if you did some research yourself about the name Karen you would also realize that Karen is the name of an Ethnic group located in Myanmar. They are called Karen and speak Karen language, and have been going through genocide and war. Their woman and children are being raped and murdered, your the one that needs the education. Stop using their name to describe racist behavior and use your own. Ok KATHY MAHONEY. STFU.
What is wrong with you? How entitled do you have to be to proudly assert that others be mocked, harassed, bullied, and suffer physical harm because YOU decided that destroying a name is okay? Condoning hurting people because they have a name that they didn’t choose is unhinged. And stop it with the “if you wouldn’t act like one” garbage. That is victim blaming. People with that name get death threats and daily harassment from psychopaths who they have never said one word to. While people like you applaud and while society says they aren’t to be believed if they speak up and they must have “acted like a K…” and deserved it. Shame on you.