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A 27-year-old woman with a rare genetic disorder who could only identify with Mickey Mouse while growing up due to the shape of the Disney character’s hands is trying to be the role model she never had as a social media influencer, to show people with disabilities they are “fully worthy and capable” of achieving anything. Rochelle Muir, who lives in Colorado, was born with ectrodactyly, which means she has three fingers and a thumb on each hand, two toes on her right foot, and four toes on her left foot. The condition causes difficulties in buying footwear, and with relationships – with one of her ex-boyfriends splitting up with her due to the possibility of their child being born with ectrodactyly – but she is now happily partnered with Charles, 31, a primary school counsellor who, along with her father Bill, is her “biggest cheerleader”. Rochelle, who is a client engagement manager for a healthcare company, could identify with characters such as Mickey Mouse growing up as he also has four digits, but she said “being like a cartoon is not exactly the role model you want”. She now posts pictures and videos on her social media platforms to educate others about ectrodactyly, raise awareness of the limb difference community, and share her hobbies, including gaming. “I remember specifically always loving the characters which had brown hair whenever they were in Barbie movies because I thought, ‘Oh, she’s like me!’,” she told PA Real Life. “But I never had that feeling when it came to my limb differences.” Rochelle has never let the disorder hold her back despite being teased and bullied at school, but when she entered the dating world in her 20s, she faced rejection multiple times and felt she was not “capable or worthy of having an amazing relationship”. “I’ve never been rejected over something that I couldn’t change about myself, something I was born with, and that was probably the first hit to my confidence with my limb differences where I felt awful about being born the way I am, about being disabled,” she said. “I just thought, I’m never going to find a meaningful relationship, I’m not worthy, I’m not capable, and that was the dialogue that kept going through my brain over and over again.” Rochelle has since removed “that nasty little voice out of (her) head”, found love with partner Charles, and shared her story publicly on social media, as she wants to “uplift” others among the disability community and show the world that “disabled is not a dirty word”. She said she is no longer “worried about showing (her) true self” and wants to encourage others to do the same. “Most people usually point out the negatives, but there are so many great positives with going and finding other people that look like you, other people you can connect with, and just creating this amazing community where you can uplift each other,” she said. “That’s one of the things I love about social media so much because when I came out about my limb differences, other people reached out and said, ‘Hey, I look exactly like you, this is so exciting, I’ve never seen anyone else that has the same hands as me’. “So it’s one of my favourite things now – and, yes, it’s sad that we didn’t have that growing up, but at least it’s there now and we can have that moving forward.” Ectrodactyly is a rare genetic disorder, and symptoms can vary, the National Organisation for Rare Disorders says. Rochelle underwent surgery to minimise the gap between her fingers and remove the longer toe on her right foot, enabling her to have improved grip and wear shoes from a young age. However, finding the right shoes has been an ongoing challenge and, when she was younger, she could not understand why she could not wear the same shoes as “able-bodied” people. “I remember specifically, there was a time, I think I was about five, that I tried to get my mum to buy me a pair of flip flops – they were pink, and they had butterflies and flowers on them,” she said. “My mum was so heartbroken because she couldn’t fully explain to me, ‘No, you can’t wear these shoes, they are going to be too dangerous for you’. “She eventually just caved and got me the shoes, and we were going up the escalator to go to the next floor in the mall, and I tripped, and we fell. “Ever since then, I’ve thought, I’m going to wear shoes that will stay securely on my feet.” Throughout her life, Rochelle has used humour to “defuse” awkward or uncomfortable situations and to enhance her confidence, but when it came to dating, for the first time in her life she felt self-conscious and “unworthy of having a real relationship”. She remembers one boyfriend who “was like a deer in the headlights” when he saw her feet for the first time, and another who ended the relationship over the possibility of their child being born with ectrodactyly. “He talked to his family, and his mum at the time said, ‘You need to decide whether you want to have kids because if you do, you have to break up with her’,” Rochelle explained. “The relationship ended, and I thought, I can’t blame him, but when I spoke to my friends, they said, ‘You’re amazing. What’s wrong with having a child with a limb difference?’ “That’s when I realised that I had internal ableism, where I told myself that having a disability is awful – ‘you’re not capable, you’re not worthy of having an amazing relationship’.” Ableism is discrimination in favour of able-bodied people – and it was at this point that Rochelle decided she wanted to do something about the lack of representation for people with ectrodactyly on social media. This “lit the fire” in her to share her story publicly for the first time, aged 25, and she has never looked back. Since then, she has launched her own Instagram, TikTok and YouTube channels on which she discusses ectrodactyly, limb differences and other disabilities, along with her hobby of gaming, and she has met Charles. Reading positive comments and messages, including from mothers of children who describe her as “an amazing role model”, has been “heart-warming” and makes her emotional – and she wants to continue to “fight ableism and bring more representation for the limb difference community”. “The biggest thing for me is representation for the limb difference community, but also for other disabilities as well, because the more we have that out there, the more of a norm it will be,” she said. “I want to be that role model, that person I wanted to look for in social media growing up, that person that younger me would be proud of and say, ‘Oh yeah, I know her, she’s so awesome, I’m just like her’. “It’s a younger me that inspires me to keep going forward and talking about these things, and I want to give the message that disabled is not a bad word, it’s not a dirty word, and you are fully worthy and capable of anything you put your mind to.” Find out more about Rochelle and her social media channels at beacons.ai/goodmornindreamer Read More Tempted to try barefoot running? 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Britain has a new biggest night in fashion, as Vogue World pulled out all the stops for an evening full of glitz and glamour. Dubbed the UK capital’s answer to the Met Gala, London’s very first Vogue World took place at Theatre Royal Drury Lane on Thursday night (15 September), after its 2022 launch in New York. The star-studded extravaganza was helmed by American Vogue editor Anna Wintour, and featured a live performance overseen by Billy Elliot and The Crown director Stephen Daldry, as well as a dramatic catwalk show spotlighting British labels on the eve of London Fashion Week. Proceeds from the production will go to London-based performing arts organisations, including the National Theatre, the Royal Opera House, the Royal Ballet, Southbank Sinfonia and Rambert. Famous faces from the UK and around the world brought their best to the event. Here’s a rundown of some of the evening’s standout looks... Sienna Miller All eyes were on Sienna Miller at the event, as the British actor showed off her baby bump in a crop top and voluminous satin skirt from Schiaparelli. The Extrapolations star, 41, already has an 11-year-old daughter with her ex-boyfriend Tom Sturridge. The Sandman actor also attended Vogue World with his new girlfriend, Alexa Chung. Miller is currently dating actor Oli Green. Jodie Turner-Smith Queen and Slim star Jodie Turner-Smith turned heads with her Viktor & Rolf look: a daring black sash top, paired with a black thong and long-sleeved gloves. The actor completed the look with Jimmy Choo shoes. Kate Winslet Kate Winslet opted for a chic white Paul Smith suit for the occasion, worn with nude-coloured lingerie visible beneath her jacket. AJ Odudu Future Big Brother host AJ Odudu gave the crowds some sea anemone realness in her purple look: a minidress with a large ruffle behind her head and shoulders. Ncuti Gatwa Soon-to-be Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa made his toned torso the main event for his look, as he wore a black sheer long-sleeved top with black trousers and Louboutin heels. Princess Beatrice Richard Quinn was the designer of choice for Princess Beatrice, who wore a black caped dress adorned with a yellow flower print. She attended with her husband of three years, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. Princess Eugenie Princess Eugenie kept it simpler than her sister with her look: a green Fendi dress with a wraparound effect across the shoulders. Rita Ora Championing sustainability, Rita Ora took to the red carpet in pre-loved wear, all courtesy of eBay. The pop star and actor chose a black fishtail gown with a sheer back, finished with columns of metal pins. Gemma Chan Gemma Chan stunned in a floor-length Louis Vuitton dress, paired with pulled-back hair and a classic red lip. Twiggy Fashion icon Twiggy also went down the pre-loved route, standing out with a red velvet Tom Ford for Gucci suit, paired with a Louis Vuitton bag. Emilia Clarke It was mesh all the way for Emilia Clarke, who stunned the crowd in a floor-length black Dior gown, combined with sparkling jewellery by Chopard. Damien Lewis and Alison Mosshart Damien Lewis and Alison Mosshart hit the red carpet in a couples’ coordinated look, in suits. Wearing Lanvin, actor Lewis paired bright yellow trousers with a black blazer, while singer-songwriter Mosshart kept things uniform in pink. Tom Daley Tom Daley stuck to a grey and silver palette for his look: an asymmetrical top with a draped jacket, paired with matching trousers and a silver clutch bag. (Check out the attention to detail on the silver nail polish, too.) Little Simz Musician and Top Boy actor Little Simz chose a Prada look for the night, pairing a black cardigan with a matching A-line skirt. She topped off the look with silver and gold accessories. Stormzy When we talk about British men’s fashion, Stormzy is never far from the conversation. He proved why with his choice for the night: a black Ferragamo suit with a white shoulder panel. Simone Ashley Bridgerton star Simone Ashley looked like the belle of the ball in her standout Tamara Ralph look. The actor wore a white bodysuit topped with a fitted dress, netted with pearls, and Jimmy Choo shoes to finish. Joe Locke Heartstopper’s Joe Locke brought a welcome shock of colour to proceedings, wearing a fuchsia short suit and matching shirt by Valentino. Winnie Harlow Winnie Harlow was yet another big favourite of the night, in a monochrome look by Zuhair Murad. The model wore a low-cut black velvet dress, accentuated by white ruffled floor-length draping. Here’s a look at all we knew about the event, in detail. Read More Sienna Miller bares baby bump at celebrity and royal-studded Vogue World Everything we know about Vogue World, London’s answer to the Met Gala Celebrities mingle with royals at glam Vogue World party in London