Karens are out there causing havoc and destruction for BIPOC folk. About time someone calls them out, and that’s what Serenity Garcia did.
When Privilege Becomes A Weapon
I was listening to an episode of NPR’s Code Switch podcast earlier this year about Karens called “What’s In A ‘Karen’?”
For those of you who don’t know what a Karen is, here’s a definition: a Karen is a white woman who weaponzes her status and privilege to police BIPOC in shared spaces and invoke the threat of ‘Calling the Cops’ if the BIPOC in question does not respond in the way the Karen wants. It’s weaponized racism.
You’ve probably seen a Karen out in social media at some time. BBQ Becky comes to mind. BBQ Becky is an Oakland white woman who called the cops on two Black men who we’re grilling outside her house in a neighborhood park. Becky lost her shit and called the cops for no reason. It’s hard to not see the connection – she didn’t want those Black men in what she deemed her personal space regardless that it was a public park. And there have been more since.
According to the episode, Karens have been around for a long time just under different names. The episode breaks down the history of Karens and how the Karen Phenomenon is an outgrowth of white women’s tiered gender status within white supremacy.
Honestly, it’s a really good episode, very enlightening if you want to learn more about Karens. You can listen to the episode here.
Serenity Garcia’s Take
LA Based Latinx Comic Serenity Garcia has decided to finally take down the Karens with this wonderful music video commenting on the cruelty, myopia, and weaponized privilege of Karens.
Honestly, the music video is awesome. The song has a catchy hook, a chorus that you can easily memorize, and the video uses a solid state TV lens/POV to give the piece a cool, pre-Flat Screen TV aesthetic. The use of these elements along with the organ in the hook and the various filters give this video a retro feel as if you’re watching an old VHS tape you found in a time capsule in the ruins of America’s future successor state, @America: A Diverse Country.
The hook/chorus begins with:
Karen!!!
Why you got be such a BEEESH?
You call the cops on everything.
And you own a child leash.
Karen!!!
Why you let your privilege show?
If you had it your way, I’d be back in Mexico
“Karen” by Serenity Garcia.
What I love about these lyrics is that there calling out Karen to have a conversation about her behavior. The lyrics are trying to hold Karen accountable for her privilege and racism, and how that worldview drives how she treats BIPOC in the world, especially when she thinks they are intruding on her space, but in actuality, it’s a public space – it belongs to everyone.
Serenity is saying, “What up, Karen! I’m over here! Talk to my face!” Instead of calling the cops to by your human pest control, let’s talk face-to-face to see what the issue is – is there really an issue of substance here? Or do you just want BIPOC out of a space you falsely think belongs to you and you feel like you have the God-given right to expulse the brownies ASAP with one call to the police?
One message that this video has is pretty overt though: Karens don’t think BIPOC belong on American soil. We’re here for whatever reason, but if they don’t like what they see, which from most Karen cases you see in the media seem like just BIPOC living their lives (Fuck, who knew just being alive was a nuisance to a whole group of people?), they’re calling the cops and getting you out of there space. Well, it’s not their space – it’s everybody’s – but because of who they are, they think it belongs to them. But it doesn’t. Serenity makes that clear. We’re not real people or fellow human beings to them. We’re just a nuisance they must be rid of.
So Why Should You Watch “KAREN” From Serenity Garcia?
Finally, beyond just being a super funny music video with a great performance from Serenity – and whoever edited this hit it out of the park! – this video gets you to think. Good comedy will make you think while you laugh. It will take down your defenses, and then you’ll be like “That was funny! Wait a minute! There was a lot more to that video.” And you will sit there and decipher the video and it’s messages overt and implicit. “Karen” is funny but it will make you think. And the more you watch it, the more you will think. You’ll be a better human for it. And I think that is a good goal for any piece of art.
Thanks for making this amazing music video, Serenity.
