‘Danielle’ Becomes The New ‘Karen’ After Kroger Store Incident
[UPDATE Aug. 10, 2020 11:30 a.m.]: Danielle Muscato responded to International Business Times' original story on Twitter on Aug. 8 by sharing her full account of the story. Her statement about the events that unfolded can be viewed here.
[Original Story]
A new kind of “Karen” has arrived in town, and she goes by a very different name- Danielle.
After a woman named Danielle Muscato, a trans civil rights activist who hosts the “RESIST” podcast, took to Twitter to blast a manager at a Louisville Kroger supermarket over an incident regarding another customer and mask-wearing, the name Danielle quickly began to trend on Twitter, with many quickly rising to the manager’s defense and declaring Danielle as the new “Karen.”
I was just threatened w/assault at @kroger in Louisville because I asked another customer to wear a mask, and she refused.
— Danielle Muscato (she/her) (@DanielleMuscato) August 8, 2020
I reported it to a manager, who found her and talked to her, but refused to do anything more.
His name is Andy, and he does not want Twitter to know that. pic.twitter.com/pATepOuSeJ
Muscato called out the manager, identified as Andy, over what she felt was his not properly handling an altercation she had with another customer, who was not wearing a mask while shopping. While Andy did speak with the other person, Muscato was outraged that he didn’t enforce a mask policy, which led to her post.
However, her attempt to blast Andy backfired, as many called out the post, claiming that Muscato’s behavior was very “Karen” like-a term born from a meme of women who feel they’ve been wronged in situations, especially while in stores, where they often request to speak to a manager.
Meet Danielle, she wants to ruin the life and livelihood of a Kroger manager because he didn't respond satisfactorily to her Karen Tantrum. Don't be Danielle. https://t.co/GCC82vgXzD
— Hammy ✈🇺🇲 (@e2pilot) August 8, 2020
I think it's time we all stop using the Karen stereotype. It's wrong.
— Official Brittany Rose (@thebrittrose) August 8, 2020
Clearly, Danielle is the proper term.
My apologies to Karens everywhere.
And to Andy. The dude is an essential worker faced with risk on the daily for low wages and has to deal with privileged Danielles.
Others quickly revealed that Muscato is known to stir up trouble online, meaning that no one should pay any attention to the controversy and shouldn’t berate the manager.
.@kroger - please don’t allow Danielle to target and or cancel this manager who was just trying to do his job. Danielle has a history of making trouble for attention.
— The🐰FOO (@PolitiBunny) August 8, 2020
We stand with Kroger respecting your customers who may not be able to wear a mask. Thank you. :) https://t.co/XQDMQbDZnr
Others also stated that Andy should be given a raise by his bosses for dealing with situations like this, especially during a Pandemic.
.@kroger, Andy deserves a raise for dealing with people like Danielle. https://t.co/LIZSoh1XFz
— Jessica O’Donnell (@heckyessica) August 8, 2020
Kroger employees and other retail workers have also stuck up for Andy online, explaining that the company’s policy actually tells employees not to enforce the mask policy with customers who refuse to wear them.
As a current Kroger employee I can tell you with 100% certainty we are told not to enforce the mask policy. If the customer refuses we are not to push the matter any further, even managers aren't supposed to. There was internal paperwork that we were given that even said this. pic.twitter.com/IHrJ20pXWH
— Obtuse Moose (@obtusenosemoose) August 8, 2020
this is stupid. that guy has little ability to enforce anything but here you are trying to get him fired in the middle of a cataclysmic economic meltdown.
— jordan (@JordanUhl) August 8, 2020
I will tell you, as someone who worked at a grocery store over the summer, corporations like that CANT do anything more than talk to the customer. They cannot force them out because they don’t have too. They are a big enough store where there is room for social distancing.
— Laura Billow (@laura_billow) August 8, 2020
Muscato later took to Twitter again to defend herself, stating that Andy’s not enforcing the policy was against store policy based on signs and more.
She also defended that she was someone who would be more at risk for complications from COVID-19 and that she took every precaution she could to protect herself—something she expected others to do too.
If someone came in topless they'd say, "Come back w/a shirt. We sell shirts here, we do delivery if you don't want to wear one. But you can't come in & you can't buy anything without one. It's the law, see the sign?"
— Danielle Muscato (she/her) (@DanielleMuscato) August 8, 2020
Except in this case, it's the law AND there's a pandemic.
The manager was not following store policy as stated on their website and in their app.
— Danielle Muscato (she/her) (@DanielleMuscato) August 8, 2020
There are also signs on the door and regular announcements over the PA. pic.twitter.com/yeE89ulJ1k
“I am high risk in multiple categories. I shop for groceries during slow hours when possible to avoid other people. I don’t go to restaurants. I combine trips. I wear a mask. I do what I'm supposed to do to keep myself and others safe. I expect others to do the same,” she wrote.
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