Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton got in some hot water this Christmas after mocking his nephew for wearing a princess dress.
In the video, Hamilton’s nephew can be seen wearing a pink and purple princess dress and waving a pink wand shaped like a heart.
“Why did you ask for a princess dress for Christmas?” Hamilton asks in the video.
“Boys don’t wear princess dresses,” Hamilton tells the boy, who then covers his ears.
Oh dear Lewis. You’ve just opened a can of worms… pic.twitter.com/fpsiNeOZrd
— Nabeela (@JustNabz) December 25, 2017
A “lapse in judgement”
Hamilton has since deleted the video and issued an apology for the post.
“Yesterday I was playing around with my nephew and realized that my words were inappropriate so I removed the post,” he wrote.
He then added, “I meant no harm and did not mean to offend anyone at all. I love that my nephew feels free to express himself as we all should.”
“My deepest apologies for my behavior as I realize it is really not acceptable for anyone, no matter where you are from, to marginalize or stereotype anyone.”
The apology came after Hamilton was hit with a wave of backlash over the post.
For example, editor and feminist Victoria Smith called him an “insecure, sexist twerp” and said, “Personally find it far more reassuring to see little boys in princess dresses than little girls in them.”
But others defended Hamilton, saying that he had just been playing with his nephew and that people online were overreacting.
“I get it if Lewis Hamilton was mean about it, but he didn’t seem like he was doing it in that way,” wrote Tony Mellace. “Plus his nephew seemed to giggle at his response. You guys are more upset than the kid was. Enjoy the holidays and stop complaining about EVERYTHING. Peace and love.”