Dear fellow white women, Do you consider yourself to be an open-minded, non-judgemental, or supportive person? Well, I have a tough pill to swallow. You may actually be a Karen or Becky. For those who don’t know, these names have been defined as “a white woman who uses her privilege as a weapon, a ladder, or an excuse.” Karen is middle-aged, and Becky is younger, usually under 30. There are many different qualities a Karen or Becky can have, such as having a cropped haircut or wearing lulu lemon to yoga class. But some Karen/Becky qualities are much more problematic.

If you want to find out if you qualify as a Karen/Becky, take this quiz. The quiz is made to give you more introspection about yourself.  It is only for you, so please be honest with yourself when answering these questions. 

  1. Have you ever shared an article or post on social media without checking it for fake news or biases?
  2. Have you ever asked to speak with a manager?
  3. Have you ever threatened to sue someone?
  4. Have you ever called the cops on a Black person?
  5. Do you support “all lives matter” or “blue lives matter?”
  6. Do you brag about all the nice things you do for the underprivileged or the money you donate to charities?
  7. Are you annoyed with how PC our country has become?
  8. Have you ever paid to see a movie that had minority characters predominantly?
  9. Have you ever tried to touch a Black person’s hair?
  10. Have you ever said one of the following?
    • “I’m not trying to be racist but…”
    • “Is this racist?”
    • “Not everything is about race.”
  11. Do you feel like affirmative action is giving an unfair advantage?
  12. Do you feel uncomfortable when the LGBTQ+ community is flaunting their sexuality?
  13. Have you ever told someone to speak English?
  14. Do you regularly watch FOX news?
  15. Have you ever seen a Black man and immediately felt afraid for your safety?
  16. Do you think the term “cracker” is as offensive as the n-word?
  17. Have you ever wrongly assumed that a person of color was not the manager/supervisor or some other position of power?
  18. Do you brag about having a Black friend?
  19. Have you ever called someone a “druggie” or “thug?”
  20. Have you ever used the term “illegal aliens?”
  21. Have you ever sang the n-word as part of a song?
  22. Have you ever taken a selfie or Instagram of you volunteering for underprivileged populations?
  23. Have you ever claimed that “you don’t see color”?
  24. Have you ever defended a friend for saying something offensive?
  25. Have you ever stayed silent when you’ve witnessed discrimination?
  26. Have you ever worn corn-rows or other traditionally Black hairstyles?
  27. Have you ever worn garb from another culture and claimed that you are complimenting that culture?
  28. Do you call yourself a feminist but never discuss intersectional feminism?
  29. Are you more upset about rioting/looting than George Floyd’s death?
  30. Did you vote for Donald Trump?

Each question you answered with “yes” counts as 1 point. Now take a moment to tally up all of your points. If you scored one or higher, then I am sorry to say that you are at least part Karen/Becky. The higher your score, the more Karen-esque you are. You may think that my grading is harsh, but sometimes we need to be harsh in order to see ourselves and our flaws clearly.

But there’s good news! Now that you are aware of your Karen/Becky identity, you can actively work on changing yourself for the better. This is an opportunity for you to grow into a knowledgeable ally and supporter of all marginalized communities. And remember, it is not the responsibility of minority communities to educate you; you must educate yourself. This is your chance to use your privilege for the greater good.

Read also:
[White] Women For Trump
Should The Word “Bitch” Offend Me?
Where Are The White Feminists During The Black Lives Matter Movement?