The Surprising History of 'Karens'

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society

What do Alexa, Adolf and Karen have in common?

They're all names that have plummeted in popularity.

The most recent, Karen, is largely due to the meme-powered phenomenon of calling out white privilege by calling someone a 'Karen'.

What is the history of calling out privilege in this way? Is this a force for good, or has it become sexist?

Today Kate is joined by Senior Lecturer of Language and Linguistics at Leeds Trinity University, Linda Walz, who has researched this social phenomenon in great depth.

This episode was edited and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.

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