Sex and the City’s Sarah Jessica Parker admits that the show failed to represent LGBT people
(HBO/Newsmakers)
It was one of the most iconic shows of the noughties, but one of its main stars has now admitted that Sex and the City failed to represent the realities of New York, including LGBT people.
Speaking at Wall Street Journal’s Future of Everything Festival, actress Sarah Jessica Parker admitted that the award-winning show lacked diversity over its six seasons and two feature films.
“There were no women of colour, and there was no substantial conversation about the LGBTQ community,” Jessica Parker stated.
When asked about making the iconic New York-based TV show in 2018, Jessica Parker said that New York City has undergone “enormous change” since the show began in 1998 and that it would likely be completely different.
(Getty)
She said: “You know, this city has changed – that was 20 years ago this June – this city has changed an enormous amount politically and economically and socially and I think it would be a different show, honestly.”
However, Sex and the City star Willie Garson has previously praised the show for its representation, saying that gay characters were left “in the shadows” for much of the 1990s.
Garson played openly gay character Stanford Blatch on Sex and the City for its entire run, also appearing in its two movies – alongside several other LGBT characters, including his eventual husband Anthony (Mario Cantone).
Related: Cynthia Nixon tells New Yorkers – Vote for the homo, not for Cuomo
The actor stated in 2016 that he feels the show helped push boundaries for LGBT representation on TV, and altered the portrayal of LGBT characters in mainstream entertainment.
“[Gay characters] were kind of hushed or in the shadows on TV, or talked about in a dark way,” he told Digital Spy.
Garson and Jessica Parker (HBO)
“I think it was a darkness that the producers wanted to bring out and say ‘hold on, this character is fun, and is just one of their friends, it’s not a ‘thing”.
“I think that’s pretty different to what had been on TV before.”
At the event, Jessica Parker also addressed the #MeToo movement and how it would change the show if remade for a contemporary audience.
“I think Carrie Bradshaw is very much a product of her generation and I think her conversations about sexual politics and intimacy spoke to the years,” Jessica Parker said.
“As always, those years prior to being a young adult inform your world-view. I think that she would have a lot to say about this, and I would be curious to read [her] column if she could sit back and look at it.”
(Getty Images)
In March, the Emmy and Golden Globe winning actress threw her support behind her former co-star Cynthia Nixon’s run for Governor of New York.
Nixon, who announced her candidacy in February, would be the state’s first-ever openly out Governor, and the first woman to serve in the role.
The long-time LGBT activist is running as a Democratic primary challenger to the incumbent Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Related: RuPaul teams up with ‘Sex and the City’ creator for new Netflix comedy
Nixon has faced several setbacks during her campaign.
Former Speaker of the New York City Council Christine Quinn branded Nixon an “unqualified lesbian”.
The Victory Fund, which promotes LGBT candidates at all levels of politics, has remained silent on her candidacy.
Even Sir Elton John has weighed into the race, throwing his full support behind Cuomo’s re-election campaign, releasing a statement on Friday alongside his husband David Furnish that endorsed Governor Cuomo for a third term.
