Karl Stefanovic has been nominated for an award for his service to NSW's LGBTI community, after he made an "earnest" apology for using the offensive slur "tranny" on air.

During a live cross to Rio de Janeiro on Channel Nine's Today show in July, reporter Christine Ahern was recounting how a group approached her and her cameraman, Glenn, and tried to steal their camera.

She described the would-be-thieves as "transvestites", to which Stefanovic responded: "Glenny's no stranger to the ways of the tranny."

The next morning he admitted he had got it "wrong, very wrong" and pledged to never use the word again.

"As we all know I can be a complete tool, yesterday I was worse, I was an ignorant tool," he said during the three-minute apology.

Stefanovic said that like so many other words that were commonly used in the past, "it is time to throw [this one] in the bin".

According to the Honour Awards website, the host was nominated in the media category for his "groundbreaking and earnest apology to the transgender community following unfortunate comments made on the Today Show".

He was also nominated for a "subsequent 60 minutes piece on young transgender people".

NSW's leading HIV prevention and LGBTI health organisation, ACON, is a beneficiary of the awards which double as a fundraising event.

In a press release for the Honour Awards, acting ACON chief executive Karen Price said two extra finalists were added to the media category because of the "outstanding" calibre of the submissions.

Stefanovic's fellow nominees include ABC's Janine Cohen for telling the story of a 16-year-old transgender girl who battled prejudice and the legal system to transition, and Monique Schafter for "championing" the LGBTI community on the ABC.

In July, Stefanovic was lauded for the apology, but now social media users have turned against the Gold Logie winner, outraged he has been nominated for simply apologising.

Loading

Loading

Loading

Loading

One Facebook user posted on ACON's page to condemn their involvement in the awards.

"Shame on you ACON," they said.

ACON responded with: "Whilst Karl did make a huge and hurtful mistake in the comments he made, his immediate act of contrition and acknowledgment that his words did hurt trans people was very commendable."