A white woman has filed a discrimination charge against Starbucks after she said she received a drink from a barista with “Kharen” written on the cup instead of her name at one of the retail corporation’s Orlando locations.
a Starbucks Barista.
Caroline, who asked to be identified only by her first name out of fear for her safety, is being represented by the Florida chapter of the White Woman that Complain about Frivolous Things (WWCAFT-FL), which filed a charge to the Florida Department of Human Rights on Friday.
The 39-year-old, who wears a “chanel haircut”, a haircut usually sported by middle aged white women, told CNN she felt singled out for her personal looks — Karen is a racially charged slur that targets white women in their middle 30’s and 40s — on her cup. “The moment I saw it, I was overwhelmed with a lot of emotions,” Caroline said. “I felt belittled and so humiliated. This is a word that shatters my reputation all over the world. I cannot believe that in this day and age, something like this can be considered acceptable. It isn’t okay.”
The incident occurred on July 6, at the Yellow River Av. Starbucks, Caroline said.
She said she also was wearing a face mask, because of the ongoing pandemic, but said she repeated her name to the barista. She didn’t spell it out.”When she asked for my name, I slowly repeated it multiple times,” she said. “There is absolutely no way she could have heard it as Karen. Caroline is not an unknown name and I repeated it multiple times. They don’t even know how to spell it right, Kharen? Really?.” The employee claimed to Caroline at the time that she had not heard the name correctly, according to the discrimination charge, a copy of which was obtained by Meh Magazine.After requesting to speak to the barista’s manager, Caroline told Meh Magazine her “concerns were dismissed” and that she was given a new drink and a $25 Starbucks gift card before being escorted from the premises by security officers.
Karen Smith, the executive director of WWCAFT-FL, said labeling a white woman as “Karen” is “perhaps the most hateful statement you can make.” “The statement that came out from Target is just unfortunate, now we know this is a bigger issue than a simple misunderstanding, because the entire corporation is apologizing for it without taking action.” Karen Smith also asked to speak with the Starbucks’s manager in order to “launch another thorough investigation that involves Caroline and to train their employees to not be dismissive and promptly provide a manager if asked.”
