Friends is over 20 years old. And it is still as popular as ever. On one TV channel, somewhere in the world, people are probably going commando, drinking coffee and asking ‘How you doing?’

But while the hugely successful NBC sitcom is loved by many all over the world, it has its critics – especially LGBTI critics.

One video editor, Tijana Mamula, watched all 10 seasons of Friends to compile all of the gay jokes into one 50 minute video. And, to an extent, it does show how much homophobia and transphobia is in the show.

But we’re not entirely convinced. You could argue it moved forward attitudes towards gay and lesbian characters.

We’ve come up with arguments for and against on the very question, was Friends homophobic? Decide for yourself.

Watch the video here, and read the arguments for and against below:

The Friends Is Homophobic Argument

The ‘no homo’ moments between Chandler and Joey often come across as really, really lazy.

Chandler is often assumed to be gay. That would be fine, but he’s often insulted by it.

The name Amanda (A-man…duh!) was effectively ruined for everyone for at least a couple years.

Ross: ‘In much the same way that homo ergaster is now thought to be a separate species from homo erectus…’ *Rachel laughs* Joey: ‘Erectus?’ Rachel: ‘Homo!’ This is deeply uncomfortable.

Repeat misgendering of Chandler’s transgender parent.

‘We’re getting married!’ Ross’s ex-wife’s partner Susan says, which is apparently the cue for the laugh track.

When two characters of the same gender kiss, it is played as a joke/disgusting if it’s two men and erotic/to titillate the guys if it’s two women

Phoebe’s song: ‘Some men love women, some men love men, some men are bisexuals, but some just think they’re kidding themselves!’

‘I’m just not that comfortable with a guy as sensitive as you,’ Ross says to Sandy, a straight male nanny (played by Freddie Prinze Jr), firing him for threatening Ross’ masculinity. ‘That’s fair’, Sandy responds, an example of a queer character not reacting in a way that shows they are offended or insulted.

Repeat gender policing. Ross: ‘Why is my boy playing with a Barbie?’

While the majority of the jokes are not hugely offensive, they could be seen as examples of ‘microaggressions’. We are meant to love these six characters, and with them making (sometimes insulting) jokes about the LGBTI community, it could feel demeaning.

A lot of these jokes breeze by, causing an underlying feeling of homophobia and transphobia in the series. When people are laughing at these jokes, it could come across that it is normal and fine to make them in everyday situations.

The Friends Is Gay-Friendly Argument