Meg Zucker is a wife, mother of three, Wall Street lawyer and someone born with the genetic condition Ectrodactlyl. Despite her physical differences, she overcame years of glaring stares, awkward comments and ignorant behavior from others to create the organization Don’t Hide It Flaunt It, which teaches kids empathy and encourages people to embrace their blatant or invisible differences.
By: Heather Newgen | Twitter: @hnvoluntourist
Meg Zucker may only have one finger on each hand and one toe on each foot, but she can do everything you can do and probably better.
“I’m actually the fastest typer that I know out of anyone. I’m very physically capable,” she laughed.
The high powered attorney was born with the genetic condition Ectrodactyly, which is described as the deficiency or absence of one or more central digits of the hand or foot. Initially she was embarrassed by her appearance.
“When I was a little girl I used to hide my hands in public because I was ashamed. I didn’t want people staring,” Zukcer said.
But that changed when she realized she had an opportunity to use her condition to help others.
“To me I felt like I had something to teach people with the knowledge I have based on my own experience. That catapulted me to the next level of wanting to get people the way I do, which is not consumed by other people’s judgement,” she explained to The Voluntourist.
“I actually think it’s the greatest gift because it weeds out the jerks. Can you imagine living a life where people who want to date me and marry me are the most amazing people. The superficial jerks in this world don’t want to know me and that’s okay. I don’t want to know them either. Can you imagine being in a bubble of kindness? That’s what this has brought to me. That’s what this has been,” she added.
Two of her three children also have Ectrodactyly and when her oldest was harassed for it she stepped in and did something about it.
“The organization Don’t Hide it Flaunt It started when my son Ethan was bullied by a bunch of kids on the playground for his difference. The principal, said ‘can you speak to the teachers and help us help someone different like him?’ I can do that, but there’s something gnawing at me like what about the kids who were willing to be mean to him? I realized there was a gap in their curriculum. Anti-bullying is a good goal, but it’s a goal. To me, there was no curriculum in the schools that actually help kids learn to empathize. So I highlighted a program called Kids Flaunt in a couple of states. Kids either do artwork or essays prompted by a theme I developed, which is the things that make me different make me me,” she explained.
Meg Zucker continued, “The goal was to empower kids that looked or felt different to share their story and the kids that would say I’m not different, having them tap into the fact that we all have something about ourselves that we may not want someone to criticize or judge us about. The minute we go that, empathy is really formed and kids think, ‘I wouldn’t want someone to be cruel to me about that x-factor about myself.”
In terms of how Don’t Hide It Flaunt It has helped her own children, she sees a major change in Ethan.
“It shifted him from a sense of shame to a place of pride. It also helped him not be consume with the judgement of others. Even better than that, it helped other kids follow his lead. I believe kids are mean to others when they feel like they have a victim that will buy into it. It really empowered them. My favorite expression is what you think of me is none of my business and that really helped permeate their sense of self.”
The organization has also helped Zucker.
“We all love our kids unconditionally and when I had Ethan who is pretty much a mirror version of me, I’m not going to be ashamed of him. It helped me evolve and come to a place of unconditional acceptance to my children and to myself. I have to lead for them.”
Don’t Hide it Flaunt It’s programs are available in elementary schools throughout the United States. To learn more about the organization visit www.donthideitflauntit.com.