For those who may have missed it (or for future historians who might be doing research on what the COVID-19 pandemic was like), the new insult du jour is to call someone a "Karen."

What is a Karen?

A Karen is term for a woman -- usually white, usually approaching middle age, usually with a blonde bob cut -- who makes a big deal out of the little things and who tries to get people in trouble for not exactly following the rules. The joke is that whenever a woman demands to speak to the manager, her name is usually Karen. As of late, the definition has basically been expanded to include any woman who gets on someone else's nerves. Annoy the wrong person and you'll find yourself labeled a Karen.

That's one reason why I will no longer be using the term. Karen has gone from being a joke to being an all-purpose slur, one that is exclusively used to attack women. The term has gone from being a meme to being social accepted misogyny in record time. My days of calling anyone a "Karen" are over. If I really feel the need to express my annoyance with anyone, I will do it without descending into the use of sexist slurs.

Add to that, I actually know people named Karen. They're all lovely people and I imagine they're all going through Hell right now.