Mario Lopez is a familiar name to many Gen Z’ers and Millennials thanks to his role as AC Slater on the beloved TV show, Saved by the Bell. Over the last 20 years, Lopez hasn’t strayed far from the public eye and now appears as a host on the entertainment show, Access Hollywood.
The host recently appeared on the Candace Owens Show on PragerU’s YouTube channel. While on the show, Lopez was asked about transgender children and his answer is now drawing heavy criticism.
That Lopez was appearing on the show in the first place was a bit surprising. Owens is a controversial figure who was banned from Facebook back in May.
The host began talking about Hollywood actors, specifically Charlize Theron, who is supportive of her transgender daughter. She asked Lopez for his opinion and he replied:
“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… 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.”
Once the show was released, Lopez faced immediate criticism. Raquel Willis, the executive editor of Out Magazine, wrote, “Dear Mario Lopez, Transphobic parents are the danger not children being their truest selves. Too many parents terrorize their children by forcing them into these gender boxes and limiting their expression. If you’re doing this, your parenting sucks.”
Dear Mario Lopez,
Transphobic parents are the danger not children being their truest selves.
Too many parents terrorize their children by forcing them into these gender boxes and limiting their expression. If you're doing this, your parenting sucks.https://t.co/szwUxJG8UQ
— Raquel Willis (@RaquelWillis_) July 31, 2019