‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ Nailed LGBTQ+ Representation

LGBTQ+ representation in Hollywood has been getting better over the years. There is still a lot of work to be done, but the industry as a whole is in a better position than it was two decades ago. This is despite some corporations shying away from overt representation due to changing cultural attitudes in the modern political landscape. But what if a series from 20 years ago had better trans representation than many contemporary shows do today? And what if the show in question was one of the darkest comedies of all time?

Believe it or not, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia had a positive depiction of a transgender woman way back in its very first season. We use the term “positive” loosely, as there were many 2005-era jokes made at her expense. But the character herself was just… normal. No stereotypes, no unrealistic attitudes or behaviors. She was just a regular person. The show portrayed the gang’s attitude toward her as the main issue, not the character herself. Yes, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia was apparently decades ahead of the representation game. Let’s examine Carmen, the transgender woman in question, and her relationship with the gang.

Carmen’s Storyline in ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’

Carmen, played by Brittany Daniel of Joe Dirt fame, first appears in the Season 1 episode “Charlie Has Cancer.” Spoilers to follow. Dennis and Mac are looking for a woman to date Charlie when they believe that he has cancer. This is truly an early episode, as Dennis and Mac seem to genuinely care about Charlie’s health. Of course, it turns out that he’s lying to gain sympathy from his eternal crush, the Waitress.

Carmen is one of the women the guys bring to the bar for Charlie; however, Mac takes an interest in her instead. Dennis knows that she is trans, and the gang mocks Mac for dating her. They all freely toss the t—-y slur around, but that’s what we’d expect. This is 2005, and the gang is known to be horrible people. But Carmen is never portrayed as a problem or a bad person. Mac even privately likes her, though he is uncomfortable with the whole situation. He accidentally punches her in the face when she startles him, though he tries to claim that she is a man when a crowd sees the punch. In a refreshing bit of honesty, the town then gangs up on Mac for assaulting a trans woman in a hate crime.

Carmen returns in Season 3’s “Mac is a Serial Killer.” The gang believes that Mac is the town’s serial killer when he begins acting strangely, but in reality, he’s covering up the fact that he’s back with Carmen. There are more tasteless jokes, but Mac seems genuinely happy when they’re alone together. He’s not quite ready to go public, though, and she breaks up again because of his embarrassment. Again, it’s Mac and the gang’s fault for talking badly about Carmen. She just wants a conventional relationship with someone who cares about her.

Her next significant appearance comes in the Season 6 premiere, “Mac Fights Gay Marriage.” Mac discovers that Carmen has completed her transition and is now married to a man. He believes it to be the sin of gay marriage and tries to rally the gang to his side. But they’re confused, as Carmen is a woman and the marriage is not same-sex. The gang completely accepts Carmen’s new gender identity without question. They also point out that the only reason Mac is against her marriage is that he’s jealous of her husband. Carmen’s last appearance comes in that season’s finale, “Dee Gives Birth,” where it’s revealed that Dee acted as the surrogate for her and her husband.

Is the episode perfect? No. Carmen’s portrayer, Brittany Daniel, is a cis woman. Had the episode aired today, a trans actor would likely have been cast in the role. But it was remarkable progress for 2005. All of Carmen’s appearances share the same overarching theme. She’s normal, and the rest of the gang are their typical, unhinged selves. Carmen wants to live a regular life by dating and going to the gym. The show could have taken the easy way out and made Carmen a stereotypical object of ridicule. But they showed remarkable growth and consistency by fleshing her out as a complete person.

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Understandably, she wouldn’t want to date Mac since he is ashamed to be seen with her in public. Her reaction is justified, and Mac is clearly shown to be in the wrong for his lack of acceptance. The gang is even genuinely happy for Carmen when her marriage is announced, using female pronouns for her. Mac’s fight against her marriage could have easily devolved into a moral high ground for him. But it’s not taken seriously, and he’s wrong for imposing his religion on someone of a different lifestyle. In a roundabout way, Mac does love Carmen, supporting her after her transition surgery. But she deserves to be treated better than just an object of his affection, and the gang points that out when discussing his jealousy after her marriage.

The gang is perpetually the bad guys in every scenario, and that’s no different here. Just like everyone else the gang meets, Carmen is better off without them. Her arc ends when she and her husband receive their surrogate baby from Dee and live happily ever after. It’s a better result than Cricket, who falls deeper into addiction and depravity with every gang-centered interaction. Remove some of the dated jokes, and this episode could easily pass today. Studios should take note. There was better representation two decades ago on a raunchy cable sitcom. And if the worst people on television can fully accept a trans person, can’t we all? It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is streaming on Hulu.