Paramedic Faces Online Hate Spree Over Makeup Selfie
A heroic paramedic has been slammed by trolls – just for posting a selfie in uniform with makeup on. Laura Heath, who works tirelessly on the frontline, was hit with bizarre abuse, with some trolls blaming her makeup for COVID-19 deaths.
Trolls Target Paramedic for Wearing Makeup
Laura’s troubles began in March when she posted a proud snap of herself in full paramedic kit with the caption: “proud to be a paramedic.” The tweet went viral, racking up 80,000 likes, 3,000 retweets, and thousands of comments.
But behind the support came a wave of nasty trolls. Despite the hate, most of Laura’s 45,000 followers backed her up with positive messages.
Things got worse when she was verbally abused at work. Laura revealed:
“Last night yet again, I experienced abuse at work because of the way I look. A man thought it was appropriate to act inappropriately and try to take photos of me on his phone. As a young female it makes me feel uncomfortable and it has got to stop.”
Frontline Hero Battling Trolls and Pandemic Stress
Throughout the pandemic, Laura risked her life treating COVID-19 patients. She has faced relentless pressure, including skin damage from hours of PPE.
In April, she shared a raw photo showing the side effects of constant mask and gown-wearing:
“This photo is unedited, no makeup and real as opposed to those you normally see of me. My skin is the worst it’s ever been after continuously wearing PPE. I am having to watch people die from this virus every time I come to work. I am tired and I am broken like most of the NHS.”
Fake social media accounts were even created to impersonate Laura, adding to her online trauma.
Laura’s Fight Against Trauma and Mental Health Stigma
Laura’s resilience runs deep. She’s fought through bullying, childhood sexual assault, and finding her mum unconscious after a suicide attempt.
She opened up to Twitter followers about her struggles, saying:
“When I was younger, I was bullied, sexually assaulted, and when I was 10, I found my mum unconscious as she attempted to take her own life. I suffer with PTSD, but most importantly I survived it… and so can you.”
“I have never opened up to such a large audience before but because of the recent support I’ve had from Twitter I feel able. I need people to realise you can get better whatever trauma you’ve experienced and life does get easier.”
Laura now uses her platform to champion mental health awareness, especially among young people. She tweeted:
“Someone just said to me ‘I don’t look old enough to suffer with mental health.’ Can I just highlight that YOUNG.PEOPLE.STRUGGLE.TOO. Mental health does not care about your age.”
Mainstream Media Spotlight
Laura’s story recently grabbed the attention of “Good Morning Britain,” where she explained her viral photo came during a low point battling pandemic exhaustion and heartbreak.
Despite the hate, Laura remains a beacon of hope for her fellow NHS workers and anyone fighting personal demons.
