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Mario Lopez: Saved by the Bell actor apologises after backlash over children’s gender identity remarks



US TV presenter Mario Lopez has apologised for comments he made about children’s gender identity.

The former Extra presenter, who was recently named a host of Access Hollywood, faced backlash after telling commentator Candace Owens that it is “dangerous” and “alarming” for parents to honour the wishes of young children who identify with a gender other than the one assigned at birth.

He later apologised for his remarks and insisted he was an “ardent supporter of the LGBTQ community”.

In a statement, he said: “The comments I made were ignorant and insensitive, and I now have a deeper understanding of how hurtful they were.

Lopez is known for playing AC Slater on Saved by the Bell (Mario Lopez/Instagram)

“I have been and always will be an ardent supporter of the LGBTQ community, and I am going to use this opportunity to better educate myself. Moving forward I will be more informed and thoughtful.”

Lopez, known to many for his role as AC Slater in Saved by the Bell, make the comments during an appearance on Owens’s PragerU YouTube show.

(Rex Features)

He told Owens he was “blown away” when parents tolerate very young children who make gender determinations that early.

Owens then asked Lopez about “weird trends” in Hollywood and mentioned that Charlize Theron recently said her seven-year-old, Jackson, did not identify as a boy.

She described celebrity parents who believe their kids have the “mental authority” to choose a gender as a “new Hollywood mentality”.  

Agreeing with her comments, Lopez said: “I’m never one to tell anyone how to parent their kids, obviously, and I always say if you come from a place of love, you really can’t go wrong.”

He then continued: “But at the same time, my God, if you’re three years old and you’re saying you’re feeling a certain way and you think you’re a boy or girl, whatever the case may be, I just think it’s dangerous as a parent to make that determination then.”

He added: “My daughter thinks some boys have cooties. You don’t know anything about sexuality yet. You’re just a kid.”

Several people criticised Lopez over the remarks.

Some also jumped to his defence, including Donald Trump Jr who said he saw “nothing wrong” with what was said. 

After Lopez apologised, Owens claimed he was “bullied” into saying sorry.

Lopez left Extra to be a host of Access Hollywood. He is due to debut on the show in September.



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