The Woes of Left-Handedness
Monday, October 15, 2007 by Kristen
I don't believe that anyone who is right handed realizes how prejudiced the world is towards them. There are so many areas where we left handers are simply ignored or not considered! Let me give you just a few examples:
You know those mugs with the picture on one side? Go take a look at which side the picture is on; it's to the left of the handle. "So?" you say. Well, hold that mug in your left hand; what do you see? Nothing! The picture shows if you hold it in your right hand, but when you hold it in your left, you get to look at a nice blank mug.
You also (most likely) have no idea how frustrating scissors can be for left-handers! I don't know how many times I have had to give up in despair and ask a nearby right-hander to finish cutting something for me. Scissors, unless they say otherwise, are created with right-handers in mind; the blades must be cut in a special way. When I hold scissors in my left hand, not only are the handles themselves uncomfortable at times, but the silly things just won't cut! It's ridiculous!
Ah, and another biased item; measuring cups. Believe it or not, measuring cups can be rather annoying to left-handers as well. As I am an American, I generally use the "English" measurement system. Well, take a look at measuring cups--any measuring cup. On the majority of these, which side is the "cups" measurement on, hmmm? To the left of the handle. That means that when I am measuring something out while cooking, I have to turn the handle to the other side, and turn it back again when I want to pick it up (or use my right hand to pick it up).
Pens are another thing! Pens with words written along the side look just fine when you are holding them in your right hand; trying switching it to your left! Now what do you see? A bunch of upside-down nonsense, no? (I am very good at reading things that are upside down; I've had a bit of practice! ;) :P )
One thing that I have simply gotten used to in this backwards world is the mouse on the computer. The way that the mouse is shaped prevents left-handers from simply switching hands, and the mouse is always on the right side of the keyboard, anyway. So I am quite used to using my right hand in that arena.
Something that I have realized now that I am going to college is that desks pose another inequality for left-handed students. Many desks in school (at least at my college) have a little extended area of the writing surface to the right of the seat, allowing right handers to rest their arm on it as they write. Unfortunately, the desk is not symmetrical, so we left-handers are not given that nicety.
Now, with all that said, I have a shocker for you; I couldn't be prouder of being a left-hander. :D I absolutely love being left-handed...and a red-headed left hander, at that! And I'm in good company: Benjamin Franklin, Winston Churchill, Ludwig Von Beethoven, Charlemagne, Alexander the Great, Ronald Reagan, Lewis Carroll, Albert Einstein and many more famous figures of antiquity and the recent past have laid claim to this prized characteristic.
Finally, it is a scientific fact that we left-handers are the ones who are most in our right minds. That explains a lot, now doesn't it?
You know those mugs with the picture on one side? Go take a look at which side the picture is on; it's to the left of the handle. "So?" you say. Well, hold that mug in your left hand; what do you see? Nothing! The picture shows if you hold it in your right hand, but when you hold it in your left, you get to look at a nice blank mug.
You also (most likely) have no idea how frustrating scissors can be for left-handers! I don't know how many times I have had to give up in despair and ask a nearby right-hander to finish cutting something for me. Scissors, unless they say otherwise, are created with right-handers in mind; the blades must be cut in a special way. When I hold scissors in my left hand, not only are the handles themselves uncomfortable at times, but the silly things just won't cut! It's ridiculous!
Ah, and another biased item; measuring cups. Believe it or not, measuring cups can be rather annoying to left-handers as well. As I am an American, I generally use the "English" measurement system. Well, take a look at measuring cups--any measuring cup. On the majority of these, which side is the "cups" measurement on, hmmm? To the left of the handle. That means that when I am measuring something out while cooking, I have to turn the handle to the other side, and turn it back again when I want to pick it up (or use my right hand to pick it up).
Pens are another thing! Pens with words written along the side look just fine when you are holding them in your right hand; trying switching it to your left! Now what do you see? A bunch of upside-down nonsense, no? (I am very good at reading things that are upside down; I've had a bit of practice! ;) :P )
One thing that I have simply gotten used to in this backwards world is the mouse on the computer. The way that the mouse is shaped prevents left-handers from simply switching hands, and the mouse is always on the right side of the keyboard, anyway. So I am quite used to using my right hand in that arena.
Something that I have realized now that I am going to college is that desks pose another inequality for left-handed students. Many desks in school (at least at my college) have a little extended area of the writing surface to the right of the seat, allowing right handers to rest their arm on it as they write. Unfortunately, the desk is not symmetrical, so we left-handers are not given that nicety.
Now, with all that said, I have a shocker for you; I couldn't be prouder of being a left-hander. :D I absolutely love being left-handed...and a red-headed left hander, at that! And I'm in good company: Benjamin Franklin, Winston Churchill, Ludwig Von Beethoven, Charlemagne, Alexander the Great, Ronald Reagan, Lewis Carroll, Albert Einstein and many more famous figures of antiquity and the recent past have laid claim to this prized characteristic.
Finally, it is a scientific fact that we left-handers are the ones who are most in our right minds. That explains a lot, now doesn't it?
