Lewis Hamilton has recently come under fire from American political commentator and columnist Ben Shapiro regarding some comments he made about LGBTQ+ laws in Florida. Ever since the seven-time world champion landed in Florida for the Miami Grand Prix, he has been very vocal about the fact that the existing LGBTQ+ laws of the state are not at all ideal.
Hamilton compared the situation in Florida with that of Saudi Arabia. During the media session on Thursday, the Briton said, “It’s not good at all. I stand by those within the community here. I hope they continue to stand firm and push back. I’ll have the rainbow on my helmet. It’s no different from when we were in Saudi.”
The particular law that Hamilton is speaking out so strongly against is the so-called ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law. Officially known as the ‘Parental Rights in Education’ bill, it states that sexual orientation or gender identity cannot be discussed by public school teachers in the class.
Ben Shapiro, a renowned conservative personality, expressed his displeasure towards Lewis Hamilton’s comment through Twitter. He commented with a hint of sarcasm, “Yes, Florida is just like Saudi Arabia; you are a genius.”
Is Ben Shapiro right with his criticism?
Ben Shapiro is a political pundit with a conservative spectrum of ideals. Therefore it is quite evident that he got riled up by Hamilton’s comments. However, Hamilton made sure that he uses his voice and speaks out against whatever he sees wrong.
The British Formula 1 legend had strongly condemned the LGBTQ+ laws in Saudi Arabia when Formula 1 raced there. He had donned a rainbow helmet to stand by his beliefs. He also said that he felt uncomfortable racing in Saudi Arabia.
Lewis Hamilton has spoken out about a lot of social issues
The Mercedes star has made sure that he uses his fame and influence as a platform to talk about the various social issues prevalent in the world. He is the first and the only black driver in Formula 1. He has spoken a lot about the lack of representation of colored people in the world of Formula 1. He has also spoken out about climate change and LGBTQ+ rights.
Hamilton gets quite a bit of flack from critics and fans alike for his habit of speaking out against social injustices. However, it is quite evident that he isn’t going to stop any time soon.
