Tiktoker justlivemara made a Tiktok video that has gone viral referring to black women. In the video, she can be heard expressing her opinions about the behavior of black women.
“I’m probably gonna get a lot of flak for this,” says Tamara, who is a Black woman with locs.
“But based on my observation, right, I honestly feel like Black women ‘Karen’ their own men. We literally Karen our own men at times. We act like Karens.”
The term "Karen" is a colloquial expression commonly employed to depict a particular stereotype, typically a woman, who is seen as entitled, assertive, and frequently displays discourteous or unpleasant conduct. Karens are often linked with making unreasonable demands or complaints, and they may demonstrate a belief in their own significance. This term gained traction in describing instances where white women were captured in videos calling the police on Black individuals engaging in ordinary activities, sometimes without just cause.
“What do I mean by that? Y’all seen those videos where you have white women who played victim because they’re being recorded? You know, we know this, but they’ll play the victim when they’re around a Black man, or if they feel like they’re not in control or intimidated, they’ll play victim,” Tamara explains.
“Black women, we do the same things. We’ll get the law or courts involved when we feel like we’re not in control and are not getting what we want. Between the publicly shaming and insulting of our men to act like we’re victims in every situation when dealing with men,” Tamara continues.
It’s worth mentioning that the term “Karen” has been criticized for being sexist and for targeting a specific gender, and some argue that its use may perpetuate harmful stereotypes about women. In the context of the general society, Black women are often dismissed as victims, leading to the online catchphrase “Protect Black women” and disparity in care and attention to their cases.
Needless to say, Tamara says that she has witnessed too many instances where Black women do things to their male partners “out of spite” and that society often easily believes that whatever a woman says “is the truth.”
“Women are liars just as much as men are liars. I’m not going to believe a woman because she’s — just because she’s a woman. I need to know the story. I need details. I need to know the type of woman you are,” Tamara says.
Despite Tamara's anticipation of facing sharp criticism for her remarks, the video garnered an unexpected response. Many viewers actually commended her for her comments, with some men expressing gratitude towards the mother of four for standing up in their support. The video amassed 37,000 views on TikTok and 181,000 views on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Say it louder, my sister,” one male viewer wrote in the comment section.
“This is so true. You look at this thing different when you have a son, and you see it being done to your own child,” wrote one female viewer.
