Being a left hander is no easy task. Burdened with the endless “Don’t shake hands with your left!” ”RIGHT hand while receiving prasad” and “I’m not sitting next to you at dinner” we left handers find each day an ordeal in this right handed world. Forming less that 11 percent of the world’s human population, lefties are forgotten in this fast paced world and have had to adapt themselves to its cruel realities. And it wasn’t long ago until lefties were forced to write and eat with their right hand instead. Quick fact-
Changing the handedness of a person, especially at a young age can result in stuttering, bad handwriting and poor concentration among many things. So please don’t do it, and don’t let others as well.
It is only natural that we get at least a day in a year to voice our opinions and express our needs. The thirteenth of August every year is celebrated as International Left Handers Day, mainly to promote awareness about the inconveniences faced by left-handed people.
Ring any bells?
1. Scissors
I can’t find a pair of left handed scissors anywhere, and cutting with the right handed ones is just nerve-wracking. Math class paper cutting activities were the worst with people giving me vicious glares before saying “Oh! You’re hopeless. Just let ME do it.”
2. Shirt buttons
This is honestly cruel. When you’re in a hurry, fidgeting with the buttons is the last thing you need. Makes us want to fling it away!!
Belts! You fit in here too.
3. Desks
These desks. Enough said.
4. Prejudiced stationery
Ball point pens are hard to write with and spiral notebooks are just what we need to brighten up our day.
How can I forget the engineer’s worst nightmare-the drafter.
When it’s hard finding left handed scissors, it would be an absolute crime wishing for a drafter. :O
5. Ink smudges
Arabic and Urdu would be the few languages we can get away with clean handed.
6. Video games
The consoles are designed for right handed people!
7. Guitars
Impossible for us to play unless we get a left-handed one. Those are expensive you know.
8. Computer mouse
Not even technology spares us. The computer mouse was designed explicitly for right-handers.
Settings with options to interchange the functionality of the buttons doesn’t count. It’s still annoying.
The keyboard also has the number pad on the right side.
But do you know why it’s awesome to be a left-hander?
1. We’re more adaptable!
Obviously! We’ve had to adapt our whole lives, in each and everything we do, so even if our dominant arm is hurt or broken, we can manage things with our other hand. We’re also better at multitasking.
2. Creativity
Left-handers are more creative and artisic by nature because the right hemisphere of the brain is dominant for us. There’s a Da Vinci and Michaelangelo inside all of us.
3. Southpaws are better at sport!
Being left-handed has its advantages in sports. Since most players are right handed, many would not be familiar on how to deal with lefties. This gives lefties an edge in sports such as baseball, boxing, tennis etc. Many of our best sportspersons are lefties- Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Saina Nehwal, Mary Kom… the list goes on!
4. We spend less time waiting in lines
It’s true! By nature, given a choice, people tend to choose their dominant side. So when there are many queues, the ones on the left are less crowded than the ones on the right!
5. We’re great leaders!
History speaks for itself! Gandhiji was left handed. So is the Prime Minister of India. 7 out of the last 12 U.S. presidents were left handed. Many of U.K.’s monarchs were too!
Some famous left-handed celebrities!
So here’s wishing all my fellow lefties a very Happy Left Handers day! Stay cool, ’cause we’re in great demand, but are only a limited supply!
