Uber controversy | Is it OK to call someone a 'Karen'?

You may have heard people use the slang term ‘Karen’. It's a derogatory term most often used to describe irate white, middle-aged women who are overreacting to a situation or displaying an inflated sense of entitlement (see; frequent "I want to speak to your manager" memes).

Whilst the term has caused uproar and debate for years, it's recently come into the spotlight again due to Uber suspending its D&I chief, following criticism from employees. The workforce raised concerns after a Zoom session named ‘Don’t Call Me Karen’ was held, which aimed to highlight the experiences of white women at the company.

Workers, particularly from black and hispanic backgrounds, said the session focused too much on the issues that impact white women as a result of the slang name, as opposed to the challenges faced by people of colour because of white privilege.