BBC blasted over ‘offensive’ podcast advising white women not become ‘Karen’s’
A BBC podcast where guests told white women to avoid becoming “Karens” and to “stop being so loud” has been slammed by listeners.
Interviewees on the latest episode of No Country for Young Women told white women that they needed to “read some books” and “get out of the way”.
The guests, who were both white women, reeled off a list of advice for white listeners to follow to avoid becoming branded as “Karens”.
The name Karen has been appropriated as American slang, often used for middle-aged white women who complain or are deemed demanding or entitled.
The controversial exchange unfolded during a debate about “white women’s’ privilege” when Amelia Dimoldenberg, a YouTuber appeared on the show.
She urged white women to “educate yourself, read some books, so you are aware of the histories of white people and race.”
Amelia added: “Don’t be so loud. Stop shouting and stop attacking black voices – instead you should be uplifting them.”
She was joined by fellow guest, Charlotte Lydia Riley, a historian at Southampton University who encouraged white women to “try to not be defensive about your whiteness.”
She continued: “A lot of the time when women are Karens it’s because they are completely unwilling to accept that their whiteness is a privilege and instead want to be treated in a special way because they’re women.
‘GET OUT OF THE WAY’
“They feel like they don’t want to interrogate how their behaviour might be racist of what they are doing is problematic.”
The views on No Country for Young Women, a BBC discussion podcast hosted by Monty Onanuga and Sadia Azmat, were deemed sexist, racist and condescending today.
The guests then ended the conversation by seeming to suggest that white women should avoid expressing their opinions. Dr Riley said: “Get out of the way, basically”, to which Ms Dimoldenberg said: “Yeah, basically leave.”
After the clip was promoted on BBC Sounds social media accounts, many commentators complained about the podcast after regional news cuts were made.
Conservative MP, Neil O’Brien said: “The BBC just slashed regional news so it can fund this kind of racist drivel to try to get down with the kids.”
Tory MP Ben Bradley tweeted: “BBC spending £100m on diversity and this junk (which honestly is racist! Would not be acceptable the other way around!) whilst at the same time ditching regional news in order to save £25m.
“Absolute joke. Cancelling my TV license. I don’t need to pay for this.”
talkRADIO presenter Julia Hartley-Brewer commented: “So I’m a gammon, a boomer and now I’m a Karen too.
“Another day, another insult. Keep on going with this and see how well it works out in the end…”
“Gammon” is used as an insult to describe middle-aged white men, commonly those who supported Brexit and are politically right wing.
Radio presenter and counter-extremism activist Maajid Nawaz tweeted: “BBC should be ashamed of silencing women by calling them pejoratives.
“If you legitimise “Karen” & “Gammon”, it won’t be long before “Leeroy” & “Abdul” become reciprocal insults.
“Minorities & women have to live with this hateful atmosphere. Bullying is never progressive.”
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The clip posted on social media has now been removed.
A BBC spokesperson told The Sun: ““These comments were not part of the podcast and featured only in a short social media clip.
“The episode itself is an in-depth and broad discussion on racism, class, feminism and stereotypes.”