Did China Censor The Lesbian Storyline In Iconic Sitcom FRIENDS?

Fans of FRIENDS are raising an outcry after reports surfaced of China allegedly censoring the lesbian plot point on the iconic American sitcom from the 1990s. The character of Carol Willick, ex-wife of lead Ross Geller, is shown to be a lesbian on the show - a detail that appears to be missing from the episodes that only recently became viewable in China again. Some other sexual references too have been cut out, as per fan allegations.

FRIENDS was showcased in tightly censored China for a year between 2012 and 2013 on streaming services, as per reports. It was presented then without any cuts. Following a renewed resurgence in its popularity after the reunion last year, the sitcom returned to streaming services in China on February 11, albeit with a few changes.

In an initial episode of the show, Ross (played by David Schwimmer) refers to how women can have multiple orgasms. The line has reportedly been modified to women having endless "gossips" in the fresh showcasing of the show in China. Ross' lines about Carol's lesbianism have also been deleted.

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China Censors FRIENDS: Here's What We Know So Far

As per CNN, fans of the sitcom have taken to microblogging site Weibo to voice their concerns, with #FriendsCensored becoming a top trend. The hashtag, however, was soon censored by the platform with a message showing the topic did not fit in with relevant laws.

Social media users praised the progressive LGBTQIA+ themes of the show while others questioned how other 'controversial' bits, like a character playing surrogate for her brother's babies, in later episodes of FRIENDS would be treated.

FRIENDS stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc and Schwimmer, and follows the lives of their characters as they grapple with adulting in the city of New York. Recognised as one of the most popular shows of all time, the sitcom ran for ten seasons between 1994 and 2004.

After almost two decades, the whole star cast reunited on screen for a special episode in May 2021.

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China is known for its censorship regulations around news and media. Only recently, the ending of the 1999 classic thriller Fight Club, starring Brad Pitt and Edward Norton, was radically changed in the country, as per reports.

The film's anarchist overtones consolidated in a final scene that shows explosions and bombings were changed altogether to read that "the police rapidly figured out the whole plan and arrested all criminals, successfully preventing the bomb from exploding," as per the BBC. 

The censorship was lifted after huge public outrage ensued.