(CNN) TV personality Mario Lopez has apologized for comments made during a recent podcast appearance in which he said it was "dangerous" for parents to allow their children to pick their gender identities at young ages.

"The comments I made were ignorant and insensitive, and I now have a deeper understanding of how hurtful they were," Lopez said in a statement to CNN. "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."

The former "Saved By the Bell" star made the remarks last month on a podcast hosted by conservative personality Candace Owens.

In the discussion, Owens brings up what she calls one of the "weird trends" of Hollywood parents allowing their children to pick their gender identity.

Though she is not a parent herself, Owens said "I nannied for five years of my life" and does not believe that children have the "mental authority" to make such decisions.

Read More