TORONTO -- Some so-called "Karens" may be refusing to wear masks during the COVID-19 pandemic, but that鈥檚 not stopping other people from wearing "Karen" masks on their own faces, thanks to a popular and controversial new disguise out in time for Halloween.
Complete with bloodshot eyes, an enraged expression, and the infamous short, layered haircut that inspired a million memes, the homemade 鈥淜aren鈥� mask has become a best-seller for artist Jason Adcock.
鈥�2020 is the year of the KAREN! Scare all ur friends with ur big hair and narrow mind,鈥� Adcock wrote in in August.
The name 鈥淜aren鈥� has become an umbrella term used to signify entitled white women who use their privilege to demand special treatment and complain about trivial matters, such as when they ask to 鈥渟peak to the manager鈥� or refuse to wear face masks in public during the pandemic.
In 2020, the term blew up after several racially charged incidents in the U.S. in which white women used their privilege against Black people. For example, the case of Amy Cooper, a white woman who unnecessarily called the police on a Black man in New York City in May after he asked her to put her dog on a leash.
Adcock told that he designed the mask after seeing a number of recent incidents in the news involving 鈥淜aren鈥� behaviour.
鈥淚鈥檝e kind of seen 鈥楰arens鈥� in the wild my whole life, and I just thought it would be kind of a funny thing to make for Halloween, and I didn鈥檛 think it would really take off,鈥� he told the program on Tuesday.
鈥溾�楰aren鈥� is transcendent of all gender and size. She is just like a modern-day tyrant. Anybody evil can be a Karen.鈥欌��
And while the Los Angeles-based artist may not have expected his design to 鈥渢ake off,鈥� that鈥檚 exactly what has happened.
Adcock has already sold nearly 70 of his homemade, latex 鈥淜aren鈥� masks for US$180 each, according to his .
He even created a called 鈥淜AREN-19,鈥� which features a sickly pallor and boils to represent the fictional outcome for those 鈥淜arens鈥� who refused to wear a mask during the pandemic.
In an on Wednesday, the artist announced his 鈥淜aren鈥� masks were sold out and he would let people know if 鈥渢hings change.鈥�
While the mask may be a hit with those who are looking for a timely pop-culture costume this year, there are also many others who took offence.
Adcock鈥檚 social media pages have been flooded with comments from users accusing him of designing a mask that is 鈥渞acist鈥� against white women.
Supporters of the artist have countered that only 鈥淜arens鈥� would be outraged by a Halloween mask.
It鈥檚 a perspective Adcock shares and one that he hopes others will realize too when they see his design.
鈥淛ust take it for what it is: a funny Halloween mask. I鈥檓 not here to ruin anybody鈥檚 day. I鈥檓 just trying to make people laugh,鈥� he said.
