Famed American presenter Mario Lopez has apologised for “ignorant and insensitive” comments he made about transgender children.
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The Access Hollywood host began trending on Twitter after he said allowing young children to choose their gender and identity was “dangerous”.
“The comments I made were ignorant and insensitive, and I now have a deeper understanding of how hurtful they were,” he wrote in his apology.
“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.”
Following Lopez’s statement, Queer Eye star Jonathan Van Ness hit back via Twitter, calling his apology “hollow,” and urged the host to make a donation to Trans Equality.
“Put your money where your mouth is @MarioLopezExtra, spread some of your wealth and influence with this incredible organisation @TransEquality,” he wrote, adding that Lopez’s apology was “so hollow & clearly crafted by a publicist.”
Put your money where your mouth is @MarioLopezExtra spread some of your wealth and influence with this incredible orginazation @TransEquality (also your apology was so hollow & clearly crafted by a publicist) 😘
— Jonathan Van Ness (@jvn) July 31, 2019
How are you an ardent supporter of our community when you think like that? All the LGBTQ people you interview & you go talk like this and phone in an apology I just like really. No . Am. Not. Convinced. Takes more than an hour to gain the sensitivity you lack. GROSS
— Jonathan Van Ness (@jvn) July 31, 2019
Lopez previously expressed his controversial opinion on Candace Owens’ podcast last month, which resurfaced this week.
During the interview, Owens asked about the new “weird trend” of Hollywood celebrities such as Charlize Theron announcing that their child is self-identifying their own gender.
“I am trying to understand it myself, and please don’t lump me into that whole [group],” Lopez responded. “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 a boy or a girl,’ whatever the case may be,” he said.
“It’s sort of alarming and my gosh, I just think about the repercussions later on.”
He added: “When you’re a kid… you don’t know anything about sexuality yet. You’re just a kid.”
“Parents need to allow their kids to be kids, but at the same time you gotta be the adult in the situation. Pause with that… i think the formative years is when you start having those discussions and really start making these declarations… personally I just think it’s way too young.”
His comments drew immediate backlash from punters including Van Ness and his co-star Karamo Brown.
I don’t think @MarioLopezExtra should be ‘canceled’. But I do believe he should be given the opportunity to learn why his comments are harmful to trans youth and their parents. Mario, I’m ready to talk when you are.
— Karamo (@Karamo) July 31, 2019
If you’re not raising a child who is part of the LGBTQ+ community you should really be quiet. You don’t need to understand what you do not know. You both need to do better, your causal transphobia is par for the course. Christianity says leave judgment to god. @MarioLopezExtra
— Jonathan Van Ness (@jvn) July 31, 2019
