Ex-'RHoNY' Star With Trans Son Speaks Out About Mario Lopez Comments

A former Real Housewives of New York cast member is speaking up about her experience parenting a transgender child this week.

Cindy Barshop, who starred in season four of the NYC version of the reality show, revealed to People that one of her 9-year-old twins is transgender — and that’s just fine with her.

“When a child feels comfortable and open, identity issues are able to be discussed in the family environment,” she said. “I believe in creating an open and positive home so they are able to express themselves.”

Barshop says her decision to come forward was in response to the conversation between Mario Lopez and Candice Owens that went viral this week, in which the two hosts criticized parents who support their children when they say they identify as a different gender than they were assigned at birth.

“If you’re three years old and you’re saying you’re feeling a certain way, or 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, ‘Okay, well then you’re gonna be a boy or girl,’ whatever the case may be,” Lopez said.

He issued an apology after he was called out for his comments, calling them “ignorant and insensitive.”

Barshop shared Lopez’s remarks with her 9-year-old son, Jesse.

“He said, ‘Why don’t you tell him that we learn about this in 5th grade and he needs to go back to 5th grade,’” she said. “It shows how evolved our children are and hopefully the adults will catch up.”

Lopez had also reassured Owens during the initial conversation that his kids “don’t kick it” with trans kids, and claimed children are too young to understand “sexuality,” conflating that with the idea of understanding gender and gender expression.

“I’m hoping that the more awareness that we bring that people understand that trans is an identity and has absolutely nothing to do with sexuality,” Barshop said.