Stockport mayor with prosthetic leg 'abused' for wearing flat shoes

Social media can become ‘toxic echo chamber’, says Laura Booth

Laura Booth, the mayor of Stockport, faced abuse online over her footwear (Stockport Council)

A town mayor with a prosthetic leg has said she faced a deluge of online abuse for wearing flat shoes.

Laura Booth told The Independent that Facebook users said she should “get back in your caravan” after an image of her at a local bakery was posted online.

“Look at the state of her,” and “a mayor in trainers [disapproving face emoji]” were also among the abusive comments, the Stockport councillor said.

Cllr Booth is an amputee and wears flat shoes to help her walk, she told The Independent. Her choice of shoes enabled her to attend the event on foot rather than in her wheelchair.

She added: “I attended an event on Monday morning in my borough, it was a local independent bakery that was celebrating its 90th year. It was three generations that had had the bakery.

“I was wearing perfectly normal clothes.”

After staff from Hobson’s bakery in Reddish posted an image of the celebration to a Facebook group dedicated to Stockport nostalgia, criticism flooded in, Cllr Booth said.

“I replied and said, factually, that they’re not trainers, they’re shoes. I’m an amputee so I have to wear flat shoes, I can’t always wear the most flattering footwear.

“The problem for me is that if you come back, when it’s disability-related, and say you find something offensive, you get these deflecting techniques.”

The offending footwear (Laura Booth)

Commenters often suggest people with disabilities are “oversensitive”, she said, adding that social media can become “this toxic echo chamber”.

Cllr Booth added: “Disability awareness is positive, but disability inclusion – to have someone with lived experience in public life – I’m showing people that you can reach the higher levels of public life with a disability.”

After she posted about the incident on Twitter, users rallied around her with supportive messages.

“Rather have a mayor in flat shoes with integrity then someone in heels so high their heads in the clouds,” said one.

Another added: “The whole convention of wearing heels to be official and professional is overdue a rethink, on health grounds alone, so bravo to you for speaking up on this.”

Promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities will be the focus of her year as mayor, Cllr Booth said.