Living in Lefty Land

Right handers cannot imagine the degree of discrimination we lefties face in the world. I think we might be the most discriminated against minority group in all of society. Accommodations are not made. Think of scissors, rulers, tape measures, cameras, measuring cups, vegetable peelers, spiral notebooks, belt buckles, can openers, corkscrews, sewing machines—shall I go on? All are made to be used most easily by right-handed people. The fact that we have a shorter life span could be related to being subjected to this exhausting daily adaptation.

But then, I found hope. I learned in graduate school that left-handed people are more creative than right-handers, apparently the need to constantly adapt opens new channels of thinking. Also, I learned my brain was balanced, rather than left or right dominant, so I am both analytical and holistic, also more common among left-handed people. And then there is tennis. One cannot imagine the advantages of being a left-handed tennis player. That drive down the left alley. That spin serve, skipping off to the right corner. The backhanded cross court. All these plays come naturally to the lefty and disorient the righty. I love tennis.

Then, one day walking down the street in London I came across a – Left-Handed Store! Products specifically designed for left-handed use. I bought all I could and ordered more online. Now I love to trick all my right-handed friends into adapting to me. ‘Here darling, would you mind serving the punch with this ladle? Oh, and here’s a corkscrew, can you open the wine, please…’