Friends co-creator discusses use of pronouns and lack of diversity in sitcom
Marta Kauffman has said she now strives to create inclusive and diverse workplaces.
Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman has said it was a “mistake” not to use appropriate pronouns in the hit sitcom and now ensures she builds “safe” and “tolerant” workplaces.
The American sitcom Friends ran from 1994 to 2004, and followed the eventful lives of six friends living in Manhattan, New York.
During an interview with The Conversation on the BBC World Service, Kauffman, 65, who co-created the show with David Crane, has spoken about her regret at the representation of Chandler Bing’s transgender parent.
Kauffman said: “We kept referring to her [Chandler’s transgender parent] as Chandler’s father, even though Chandler’s father was trans.
“Pronouns were not yet something that I understood. So we didn’t refer to that character as she. That was a mistake.”
