Sinistral. Southpaw. Lefty.
Just a few of the nicknames for the types like me. Which, there aren’t very many types like me. Across the world, it is estimated that only ten to twelve percent of people can lay claim to one of the fancy terms listed above. However, if more people had actually been allowed to use their left hand when they showed a preference for it, there might be more of us. Not much more… but more.
It’s not entirely clear what makes a person gravitate towards one hand over the other, but studies suggest that it has a lot to do with brain asymmetry – which develops in the womb, determines which side of our brain we use most, which also manifests into which hand we prefer. However, there are some more recent scientific studies that also suggest genetics may play a more significant role than previously thought (I mean, don’t they always?) Smithsonian Magazine details a recent study that involved over 350,000 people, and singled out some rare genetic variants that appeared in a lot of the left-handed people but not in the righties. Most of these variants had to do with the gene TUBB4B. Which, as I’m not a geneticist, I have no real idea what that even means. But apparently, neither do many scientists, as they are still working fervently to figure out exactly what makes ten to twelve percent of the population turn genetically weird.
Whatever the science behind it, we lefties continue to perplex the world with our strangeness and magical powers. Which, we must have more than a few stored away. Because when it comes to success and excellence, lefties have actually set the bar a bit high. We can claim the likes of some of the greatest thinkers and scientists of all time, like Aristotle, Ben Franklin, Leonardo DaVinci, Isaac Newton, and Marie Curie. We’ve made our mark in the arts too, with Jimmy Hendrix, Paul McCartney, Beethoven, and Mozart being just some of the more famous left-handed musicians. We’ve taken shots at ruling the world, like when Queen Victoria ruled with an iron left fist (That might be a strong way to put it… but you know what I mean). Left-handed presidents include Gerald Ford, Barack Obama, and Harry Truman, among others. Then there’s the notable military figures who boasted left hand use – like Alexander the Great, Napolean, Ramses II, and General George Patton. And if you tuned into the Paris Olympics this summer, I’m sure you noticed the impressive number of left-handed athletes, sports being an arena (see what I did there) where lefties almost always have a distinct advantage (fencing, volleyball, beach volleyball, baseball, table tennis, actual tennis, and the list goes on and on).
Yes, there is plenty of mounting evidence of the all-around bad-assery of team lefty. Which is perhaps why the world tries so hard to silence us. Sometimes in deadly ways. I once read that lefties are far more likely to die in a kitchen-related disaster, or at least lose valuable digits, since most cooking and cutting appliances are not designed for our quirks (that’s my excuse for my poor cooking skills, and I’m sticking to it). At least stateside where I live, cars, driving, and traffic all make it abundantly clear whose side they’re batting on, which leaves lefties a bit more prone to accidents. Most tools and household items are designed to cater to righties (like scissors – don’t get me started on scissors), so mundane household chores can become quite dangerous for us.
On the less deadly but still disruptive side, school classrooms are often not set up to deal with the likes of lefties. When I was in school, left-handed desks were in limited supply. In grade school and high school there were none. In college, there was only one or two in each classroom. It left me the constant victim of the cursed left-handed ink-smudge, not to mention the absurd way I had to tilt my paper just to be able to write on it (is that a thing nowadays? Or is everyone using tablets now?). During exams, lefties are often put in their own space to keep the lousy cheaters from stealing glances at our papers (although I found this to be more of an advantage than anything, especially during the ACTs).
And all those frustrations say nothing to the all-out abuse that lefties have had to endure through the course of human history. For far too many centuries, we have weathered the harrowing cries and taunts of witchcraft, satan worshipping, sorcery, cursedness, freakishness, and evil that used to be associated with using the left hand. The prejudice was so profound that in many cultures across the globe, children showing a preference for their left hand had it bound behind their back, or were otherwise brutally punished, so they would be forced to use their right.
Even in these so-called more enlightened times, lefties are still considered to be eccentric and strange. Many languages still use words rooted in “left” to describe something that is odd or not right. “Clumsy” is denoted as having “two left feet.” Unsettling surprises come “out of left field.” A “left-handed compliment” is another way of saying “back-handed compliment,” meaning something that comes with a bit of a sting. In many religious texts, the right-hand and right side is the place of honor. Whereas the left is more the equivalent of “thanks for playing,” if not the downright evil side.
For all these reasons and more, it’s a little bit harder for the lefties of the world to keep on the straight and narrow. As it turns out, we’re quite prone to learning disorders, especially dyslexia. Probably because the whole world feels backwards to us. Drinking is a common flaw of lefties, and we’re also known to have a bit of a foul temper more often than not. And in a tough bid to adjust to the right-handed world, more than a few of us have opted to become ambidextrous, meaning that we can do at least some amount of things with both hands. I myself have been known to practice this talent on occasion, which came in very handy (tee hee) the two times I’ve injured my poor little left paw (side tangent – when I broke my left wrist several years ago, the doctor shrugged and said, “well, it’s only your left.” Which I’m afraid provoked my foul left-handed temper).
All things considered, it’s safe to say that we Southpaws sometimes have a hard time in this right-handed world – so that might be why the powers that be, perhaps to make amends for some past wrongs, decided to give us an entire day all to ourselves.
International Left-Handers day was first celebrated back in 1976, and it comprised of some fun little salutes and celebrations for left-handed people. In some cases, it was as simple as giving lefty friends a badly needed hug. However, some people took it as far as walking a mile in our “left feet” shoes and trying to do everything left-handed for a day. It was a fun little tradition that took hold over the years, and in the United States, Left Handers Day became an official holiday in 1992. Today, this annual day of excellence falls on August 13 every year, and it is just one day to highlight the struggles we’ve overcome and the ones we still face (spiral notebooks? Computer mouse? And yes… sometimes still SCISSORS!) However one chooses to celebrate, it’s a truly unique holiday, one to shine a light on all your lovable lefties.
So this year, I wanted to acknowledge it, and to wish all of my fellow Southpaws a very wonderful Left-Handers day. As for you righties – here’s to you as well. Because we’re all having a difficult times these days, aren’t we? So join your right hand in my left and let’s show the world what the people are made of. No matter which side of our brain happens to dominate.
SOURCES
A Left-Handed History of the World – E. Wright
Smithsonian Magazine: “Why Are Some People Left-Handed”