The Chinese government brought the sitcom "Friends" back to its streaming services. However, it had instances of LGBTQ+ references left out, after the series had been banned on Chinese streaming platforms for years.

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China Brings 'Friends’ Back to Streaming — But With LGBTQ+ Content Cut

Yeah, alright, switching gears here a little bit to china. The iconic nineties sitcom Friends has been re released but some parts are missing. The popular show returned to chinese streaming services this month after a several year hiatus, but several scenes with L. G. B. T. Q characters in particular have been edited or removed. For example, a scene involving the character Ross's ex wife who left him for a woman was deleted altogether. While other lines about sex or sexual behavior have been translated quite differently. Friends or in china are outraged by the country's kind of latest censorship move, claiming the edits reinforce gender stereotypes and alienate L. G. B. T. Q individuals um from society. I think that is a very valid point. I also just think if you're a fan or you just someone following all along for the first time, how do you kind of follow the continuity of the series with you know, dramatic and and really significant portions of it being taken out literally. That was what I was thinking. We mentioned ross's ex wife carol, so why does she leave him if she's not just coming out of the closets and she follows through like several um you know seasons and then there's the kind of like anecdotal notes about her little on in the situation. So it's just a bit odd but I think to the greater societal impact there is a very valid concern for those. Obviously there are many L G B. T. Q members in chinese society and the idea of kind of furthering stereotypes or deepening kind of misconceptions, there is very concerned.