This comment lives in an alternative reality. Calling someone a Karen is racist? Please.

It depends how you define racism! According to "Defining Racism" by Beverly Daniel Tatum, it isn't. But in other interpretations of the word, it would be. I don't think it's far fetched to assume it might rightfully feel like a racist slur to the grand-parent.

Whether racism or not, it's probably an -ism of some sort. Despite disagreeing with the GP, at least their painting of "Karen" as an -ism gave me pause and made me consider that usage again. In truth, it's probably not a great and useful practice in discourse. e.g; do you believe calling someone a Karen will increase your chances of reconciling with them or coming to a favorable outcome with that person?

No, I'm personally not a fan of the term because I generally don't like reducing people to caricatures - but IMO equating it to a slur is just... wrong. It's ignorant of what actually has been happening to the oppressed people in this country since... forever? And is trying to equate someone, who is generally in a position of power (a middle class white woman) to minority groups who have experienced racism since this country's founding.

Food for thought: In the (rough) words of John Mulaney, if you equate something to another word, but you won't even say the other word, then one is clearly worse than the other.

What in the god damn was that.

1) Stop capitalising "white". 2) "little old White women are prohibited from attending church" - [citation needed] 3) "popularisation of "Karen" racist dialogue" - how is this racist?

I wouldn't personally call it racist or sexist (as I've seen the term used for both men and women and of different races). However the logic works like this:

Tyrone is a internet stereotype of a thuggish blackman. The stereotype of Tyrone is considered by some to be racist (probably quite rightly). Karen is a stereotypical entitled white woman. So if calling someone a Tyrone is racist, therefore calling a woman a Karen is also racist.

Not saying I agree with any of it. But that is my understanding of how the logic works.