Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman has addressed the popular sitcom's missteps in handling transgender representation and the lack of diversity.
In an interview BBC World Service's The Conversation, Kauffman confesses to a critical mistake made by the show's writers concerning the character Helena Handbasket, Chandler Bing's transgender parent, played by actress Kathleen Turner. The character is frequently misgendered as Chandler's "father".
Kauffman, 66, opened up about her regret, stating: "We kept referring to her 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."
Turner's character, Las Vegas performer Helena, featured in three episodes of the sitcom's seventh season back in 2001. However, the show never officially acknowledged Helena as a transgender woman, causing confusion amongst viewers, many of whom perceived the character as merely a drag queen.
In a 2018 interview with The Gay Times, Turner shared this observation, noting viewers often thought the character "was just dressing up."
Turner also confessed to being initially pitched the role as "the first woman playing a man playing a woman." She accepted it at the time due to the lack of trans representation on television but wouldn't consider such a part today, stating: "There would be real people able to do it."
A crucial aspect of Kauffman's reflective journey is her commitment to creating an inclusive and respectful environment. She emphasizes the importance of a "safe place, a tolerant place," and shared an instance where she fired an individual "on the spot" for making an offensive joke about a trans cameraperson.
This self-reflection around Friends doesn't end there though, as Kauffman also acknowledges the sitcom's lack of diversity, expressing "embarrassment" for not knowing better.
Responding to criticism, she's pledged a significant $4 million to the African and African American Studies department of Brandeis University, her alma mater, to promote diversity within academia.
Kauffman shares with the Los Angeles Times: "I've learned a lot in the last 20 years. Admitting and accepting guilt is not easy. It's painful looking at yourself in the mirror. I'm embarrassed that I didn't know better 25 years ago."
By investing in academic diversity, Kauffman hopes to spread more awareness, as well as offering new opportunities for academic studies, teachers, and research.