‘Mean Girls’ Star Jonathan Bennett Says LGBTQ Acceptance ‘Sliding Back’ [Video]

Actor Jonathan Bennett has told Newsweek that LGBTQ acceptance has been “sliding back” recently following years of progress.

A heightened focus on LGBTQ rights has been seen in both major parties’ platforms as the U.S. marches closer to November’s election. Republican nominee and former president Donald Trump will face off against Democrat Kamala Harris, who is nearing the end her first term as vice president.

The Republican Party has pledged to cut federal funding for gender-affirming care and restrict transgender students’ participation in sports. In contrast, the Democratic Party has promised to outlaw discrimination against LGBTQ people, including passing the Equality Act, which would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in housing, health care and public accommodations.

Mean Girls star Bennett, who has been dubbed the “Gay King of Christmas” thanks to his projects with Hallmark Media, has reacted to the tone of some of the conversations surrounding LGBTQ rights and acceptance in the U.S.