The pre-internet history of Karens complicates things a little. Most African Americans already knew the Emilys, Anns, Karens, Beckys existed and knew they are not as innocent as they pretend. Too many black men have lost their lives because of the lies told by a Liz, Emily, Ann, Karen, Becky, Permit Patty or whatever name you want to call these women who use their white privileged as a weapon. Among black women, the shorthand of a “Karen”—a white woman to be wary of because she won’t hesitate to wield privilege at the expense of others—Black women have known this to exist for years. “The cultural reference has always been there; it just hasn’t always been so specific to one person’s name,” says Meredith Clark, a media researcher at the University of Virginia. “Karen has gone by different names. Back in the ’90s, when ‘Baby Got Back’ came out, it was Becky. There will be another name." What does this statement says about people who are willing to wield power to harm others j
