About Caucasity and the Difference Between a Becky, a Karen and a Susan
We must all start operating from the same page, to minimize confusion in this world. When it comes to the state of caucasity, we gotta get clear on the groups that exist.
In case this is your first time hearing the word “Caucasity,” know that it speaks to whiteness, white supremacy and all the fuckshit that comes with it. Caucasity is the state of unjust affairs, a mindset and a series of real things that come from the privileges of whiteness.
It is deeply frustrating and infuriating because it is truly at the core of why the 45th president of the United States is a daft and dumb troglodyte who can barely read and ain’t fit to run a scenario, let alone a country. Caucasity is the reason why some of the world’s richest people got their money, since it exploits marginalized people for profit. It is why the mediocrity (and subparness) of white men is praised and allowed to flourish while the rest of us gotta wake up and have a PhD in pissing excellence to even be allowed in the room. Meanwhile, Todd can run the meeting even though he ain’t got nary a qualification besides his paleness.
Caucasity is, by design, the upholder of systemic oppression.
The audacity of caucasity is real and bold, and some of the biggest upholders of the structure of melanin-deficience are white women. They get away with some of the smoke white men get because they’re in the back stoking the fires of racism, but coming to the porch presenting as innocent of it all. This is why collectively, we can call them Miss Annes.
We are all too familiar with the white women who whine their way into getting what they want. Or damsel in distress their way into punishing other people, simply because they aren’t them. I wrote a piece called About the Weary Weaponizing of White Women Tears a few years ago, and I do into detail there. Go read that.
We’ve been throwing around “Becky” and “Karen” and “Susan” to describe some of them. You’ve met one before. You work with one. Hell, you might be one.
You can find them asking to speak to managers, calling the cops on Black people who go to parks, or take naps on college couches or for stand outside of their really nice homes. Sometimes, they have swoop bangs with striped coloring. They can often be found in HR departments, spreading company-wide unfairness and other problematic behaviors.
Snitching on innocent people is their superpower.
They might be the ones throwing you under the bus in your work meetings, with a smile on their face. Microaggressions are their gift. They are the 53% who voted for a man who says he wants to grab someone by the pussy. They are a legion, hear them passive aggressively roar.
But here’s the thing. There are also Beckys and Karens and Susans who vote blue, say they’re “allies” and work at some bleeding heart nonprofit. They are the queens of “I don’t see color at all” and they would have voted for Obama a 3rd time. They LOVE Toni Morrison books but they also plagiarize and steal the ideas of their Black coworkers as they gaslight them at work. That there is caucasity, illicit and covert.
Anywho, Beckys, Karens and Susans are aplenty. So what’s the difference? Age.
Becky is a younger Karen, and Susan is their mentor.
Specifically:
- Becky – 20s
- Karen – 30s and 40s
- Susan – 50+
Tomi Lahren, Megyn Kelly, Kellyanne Conway, the superheroes of the Miss Anne Universe
Their male counterparts are:
- Brock
- Chad
- Walter
Not all Beckys or Karens or Susans are blond, but these women above are who I see as the prototypes. If you looked at my picture and winced, and said “thank God I’m not them” then congrats. Maybe ask someone who you’re close to, who is Black, if you fall under these categories. If you don’t have someone, and you don’t live in rural Wyoming? Maybe you are one. If you looked at the picture and got offended, then you might be one of them. If this post made you wanna speak to my manager, then you are DEF one.
In all of this, some white women have gone above and beyond to prove their Becky-dom by being mad about being referred to as “Karen.” They’ve whined online that it is akin to us Black folks being called the n-word. It makes me laugh so hard because the Patty-ness of it all is just confirmed.
If you’ve gotten upset at the Karens being called out, then odds are you are one. Instead of being mad, do better. Aspire to no longer be a Becky or a Karen or a Susan.
There are some folks reading this who might go “but that’s my ACTUAL legal name.” To you, I say I understand. Just because your name is Becky doesn’t mean you are A Becky. Just because “Karen” is on your birth certificate doesn’t make you A KAREN. Know what I mean? Cool.
But yes. Glad to provide clarification.
A professional Susan
This woman has DEFINITELY asked to speak to the manager AT LEAST 457 times in her life.
Get these blogposts directly in your inbox! Sign up for my weekly LuvvLetter below:
It is time to write that book. Come into The Book Academy and learn how to go from IDEA to INK.
Related Posts
29 Comments
You say the male counterparts are “Brock, Chad, and Walter”; do they also follow the same age divisions as Becky/Karen/Susan?
Walter is DEFINITELY up there in age. That’s an old man name for sure
I thought Bob or Dick would be an alternate for Walter all are old man names especially Dick
“Instead of being mad, do better.”
YES. THIS. How many times have I said these words to my children? To people I know who do/say Karen-y shit. To my own father, even. When you know better, you can do better.
And how many times has my own mother (whose actual name is Susan) said the same kind of thing to me and my three siblings?
DO BETTER. That’s all.
So I know a real life Karen Newell except she is not a Karen, she is a Susan! And the other Susan I know isnt a Susan, its a Mason Evans, a man who is definitely a Susan brcause he is privileged and a mitch! I know you may never read this buy damn it felt good for someone to be in my head about your priveledged asses! I thank God for you though, you pushed me to realize corporate America isnt for me! You made me go out and establish my own shit!
I’m luvving this article. It effectively speaks to my unspoken thoughts. Nice read.
Good for you. I felt erry bit of how you felt! Congratulations to a black Queen from a black Queen!
Thank you for this!
When the Karen stuff started I was like “Wait! I thought we were using Becky? I didn’t get the memo!!”
I thought it was Susan, but then I realized Karen was *specifically* about those passive aggressive women my own age. Guess what, Karen? I didn’t like you in elementary school and I still don’t want to come to your stupid sleepover anyway (she never invited me.)
And your new landscaping is stupid. You have tree penises in your front yard.
Tree penises! I thought it was just me being weird and seeing dicks everywhere in the suburbs. WHY DO THEY HAVE THOSE?!? ????☠️
“Meanwhile, Todd can run the meeting even though he ain’t got nary a qualification besides his paleness.” Or more specifically, his pale penis.
Best part? The “professional Susan” in the photo is actually named “Becky” ????????
Some of us black women are Karens too. If you are a Nancy Pelosi loving democrat u r a fucking Karen! This term is for the hypocrisy of activists rather than white women. These hypocritical activists just happen to be predominantly White women. This is not a culture thing this is a political thing. Its when you will die for my right to marry the same sex person but not for desegregated schools. Fight to the death for me to get an abortion but not a living wage, die for my right not to be called a nigga but not M4A. To my understanding that’s a Karen per the Bernie supporters who coined the term. And many are black!
being hale, pale and male is the trifecta of privilege
Very good read, especially the part where you mentioned them working in HR, implementing their unfair and unjust initiatives, promoting the other Becky’s, Karen’s, and Ms Ann’s made me have a series of flashbacks.
I have a particular disdain for homeless white dudes asking for my spare change. You hit the lottery just by being born male and white and you fucked that up and want my change! Nah, son!
You are so right my sister says all he needs is sobriety and a suit top of the food chain he goes
THIS RIGHT HERE!
As a black woman, I never give money to a white male in the street. They have enough folks giving to them. I’ll find someone of color to give to.
Woooooow, I have been saying this for years. The bounce back for a white person is crazy! All they need to do is go to a job interview and “Bam” you’re hired. And despite this, you waisting all that pretty white skin, out here begging for change! Naw I’ll pass!
Why do you assume a homeless white man fell to earth from a great height? So you aren’t aware there are plenty of white people born into abject poverty and all it implies? Who knows what tragedies he’s lived? Not you.
Without knowledge, connections, education, access to a shower and soap, and perhaps not even a phone number to his name, no one welcomes him with open arms. Socioeconomic studies back up the fact that if you want to know how successful an individual child is going to be in adulthood, look first at their socioeconomic level at birth.
Don’t forget Miss Anne.
https://images.app.goo.gl/o1f6TmQuovzFLm1W9
The white feminist version are so damned difficult to deal with even as a white lady. If you challenge them, they immediately clutch pearls and start listing all the ways in which they support the left, are progressive, and are liberals. They would never be racist! They don’t use the “N” word and are colorblind!
Bitch. You drop micro aggressions like it is a damned pastime. You clearly want to protect your white privilege before anything else. UGH.
*cough* I miiiiight have had some recent experiences with a Susan who drove me up the damned wall.
My friend and I were talking about this topic a couple of days ago and it occurred to me that we forgot about the youths (under 21). You know, the ones who love saying and rapping along to the “n-word” in songs on TikTok and believe wholeheartedly that “Drake invented patois so Chet Hanks isn’t being problematic”.
We came up with Katelyn and Tanner, respectively. Talk amongst yourselves.
This is probably an uninvited comment. I have had to deal with a lifetime of Caucacity people of both genders. I’m a retired teacher, white, yes but SO not “entitled” as if. Most teachers are motivated by helping kids learn how to navigate the world through critical thinking. Can’t tell ya how many of these privileged folks tried to tell me about educating “their” children. These kids are citizens of the world, the future of all generations to come. Think the parents AKA – Karens/Chads ever thought outside the box of their own delusional reality of superiority? NOPE! I swear I know way too many of them that still believe it’s their way or the highway & that they are RIGHT dammit! UGH UGH EW EW, so yeah, all I can do is shake my head in disgust too! Their attitudes sicken me, bc I know hatred is learned @ home, God help us!
Love this article. As a gay, biracial man I’m stuck in between 2 cultures but had to deal with the Chads and the Beckys my whole life along with drive by racist comments from even Asians. I’ve learned over the years to step back and laugh at the foolishness of these idiots. And shake my head at the POCs who vote for the orange turd and make excuses for the Beckys and the Chads of the world
Um, my only comment is – please correct the typos so that I can share it.
Offers better credibility.
Thank you.
[…] I’m always doing my best to not be a Becky, a Karen, or a Susan. This helpful guide by Luvvie really explains the breakdown between the three. […]
OMG! My sista! I could not have put these words any better than these! This “condition of this nation” is glaringly made naked during this pandemic- in case there are some who’re still living under rocks and unable to “see color”! I salute your rant because it is also mine!