Your dominant hand is most likely your right hand, along with about 90 percent of the world’s population. If so, you have probably also tried writing with your opposite hand at least once. How did it feel? Maybe it felt awkward, uncomfortable, or unnatural? …Or maybe you’ve sat in the “lefty desk” in a lecture hall when you were right-handed. It feels unnatural to use anything other than your dominant side (unless you happen to be ambidextrous). Tasks that should be simple become exponentially more difficult. Think again of the ratio of lefty desks to standard desks in a classroom. It’s grossly unbalanced because left-handed individuals make up only 7 to 10 percent of the world’s population! Still, there are many kinds of objects and tools that are only made for right-handed people, forcing lefthanders to adapt to an awkward alternative. Some of the
worst things for lefties:
- Writing in spiral notebooks or 3-ring binders.
- Writing in general (Yep, your hand is black from your pen ink).
- Getting your drink out of the cup holder in your car.
- Using can openers.
- Playing Xbox (or any other gaming system).
If you’re right-handed, you’ve probably never even considered the design of everyday objects. August 13
th marks the 24
th Annual
Lefthanders Day and its goal is to raise awareness of the daily issues that lefties face on account of a genetic predisposition. You can even spread the word on Twitter by using the hashtag: #lefthandersday. Show your support for the disadvantages of lefties everywhere by participating on social media!