Leonardo DiCaprio's mum's armpit hair shocks the internet

Leonardo with his parents in 1976. Photo / Corbis

It was an innocent photo of baby Leonardo DiCaprio pictured with his smiling parents.

But it seems the internet has gone crazy over the image for reasons other than being moved by the cute shot.

Taken in 1976 and recently posted to Facebook, the image shows a baby DiCaprio hoisted up by his father George while his mother Irmelin holds his hand over her head.

Shared on History in Pictures Facebook page to commemorate the star's Oscar win, it seems the internet is not so concerned with Dicaprio's achievement as it is with his mother.

Or, specifically, his mother's armpit hair.

While one commentator referred to it as a "ferret" under her arm, another called it a "beast of a pit", while another suggested having a mother with hairy armpits somehow explained the actor's political views.

Others defended the image. Trisha Dowd posted: "It's so funny I am part of a generation that wants to 'free the nipple', but freaks out when women have hair in their armpits. #feminism."

Sara Maccini posted: "When I saw this, I thought 'Wow, that little toddler just got an Oscar. His parents must be extremely proud!' Not 'Omg, his mom didn't shave her pits during a time where women didn't shave their pits'."

Fans also took to Twitter to defend the picture, many questioning what all the fuss was about.

- nzherald.co.nz