Comments from actor and host Mario Lopez concerning transgenderism and children from June made waves online earlier in the week, as reported by The Daily Wire. Speaking to conservative activist Candace Owens on “The Candace Owens Show,” Lopez, a Catholic, said that it is “dangerous” for parents to raise children as young as three years old as transgender.
Owens noted the Hollywood “trend” of stars speaking out about their young transgender children. “I am trying to understand this new Hollywood mentality where they just think their children now have the mental authority,” she said.
“I am trying to understand it myself, and please don’t lump me into that whole [group],” Lopez answered, according to Yahoo! News. “I’m kind of blown away too. Look, I’m never one to tell anyone how to parent their kids obviously and I think if you come from a place of love, you really can’t go wrong, but at the same time, my God, if you’re 3 years old and you’re saying you’re feeling a certain way or you think you’re a boy or a girl or whatever the case may be, I just think it’s dangerous as a parent to make this determination then, well, OK, then you’re going to be a boy or a girl, whatever the case may be … It’s sort of alarming and my gosh, I just think about the repercussions later on.”
“When you’re a kid … you don’t know anything about sexuality yet. You’re just a kid,” he added.
Lopez has been met with some backlash and calls to be “cancelled,” which Yahoo! News was quick to highlight. The host’s name was the top trend on Twitter for hours on Tuesday morning for the apparently “controversial” commentary.
The Twitter account for Human Rights Campaign reacted, “Mario Lopez’s comments are dangerous to the safety and well-being of LGBTQ youth, especially trans children who deserve to be loved and accepted for who they are.”
“It’s unfortunate that someone who is so involved with [GLAAD] like [Mario Lopez] would be so misinformed about #trans kids,” said trans activist Alexandra Halaby. “I wish that he would reach out to [Sarah Kate Ellis] for some guidance on the difference between sex and gender identity.”
“Mario Lopez or A.C Slater from ‘Saved By The Bell’ is cancelled,” said one Twitter user.
“Mario Lopez should mind his business and worry about his own children. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, even wrong ones. But criticizing someone’s parenting publicly crosses a line. If a child isn’t being abused, observe quietly,” another comment said.
“Hey Mario! You know what’s dangerous? Being a transgender kid. You know what else is dangerous? Rape,” said documentarian Abigail Disney.
BuzzFeed News’ Alex Berg criticized, “Mario Lopez’s suggestion that parents ought not accept their trans kids — kids who face staggering levels of suicide, bullying and other hurdles — is cruel. He conflated sexual orientation and gender identity, which is a pretty big tell that ya don’t know anything about this.”
“Mario Lopez played the dumb as a rock character in Saved By The Bell and he’s dumb as a rock in real life,” a tweet read.
One commenter went even more extreme, writing, “saw mario lopez was trending and though maybe he died but it turns out he’s just a transphobe. so he’s dead to me. f*** you, mario b**** face.”
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UPDATE: Mario Lopez Caves: Apologizes For ‘Ignorant And Insensitive Comments’ About Trans Kids