The world is designed for right-handed people which is a curse for the left-handed people. Throughout the history, lefties have been the victims of bitter experiences that come their way in everyday life associated with being a lefty. Since the lefties are 10%-12% of the world’s population, they have to curb themselves to fit in this world dominated by right-handers. If you are a lefty, you have to make extra efforts to do the simplest of things which can be exhausting and excruciating. Apart from being asked on a daily basis if you are a lefty, you have to put up with many situations that are downright painful for you. Now, you may be privileged to have a higher IQ and more creative and smarter than right-handers. But you can relate to the problems that you face in everyday life mentioned in this list.
1. Dressing problems
Life is not easy when you are a lefty. You have to endure many problems throughout the day. The beginning of your day itself is full of struggles. Clothes are designed keeping right-handed people in mine. The zippers and buttons pose annoying problems. While many lefties adjust to it but the cloth flap covering the zip, hides the zip from your left hand. Hence, putting on pants is not as easy as it is for right-handers. Along with that, belts are confusing too. You have to put your belt on upside down. These are few of the dressing problems you face while dressing up in the morning.
2. College desks
So you finished schooling and started your college? It is great until you enter your classroom which is full of those armchairs that have their writing flaps on the right-hand side. Now the righties can simply sit down and start jotting down. But you have to turn your back towards the armrest and sit in that position till you write. At the end of the class, you end up with your back aching. If the god is merciful, you might find a chair with a bigger writing flap. And if not, you are going to have to suffer in this world dominated by righties.
3. Scissors
Scissors are a torture device made for you. Mostly the scissors are designed to fit the right hand and lefties can’t use them without leaving their fingers sore. Scissors come with a right-handed grip, which causes the blades to push slightly push together that makes a crisp,straight-edged cut. But if you are trying to use those scissors, the same grip causes the blades to shift apart which leads to a pile of torn paper. However, there are special scissors made for lefties. Bless the soul who came up with the idea.
4. Ink smudged hands
You know the struggle when you try to solve a crossword puzzle or when you use a fountain pen. You end up with more ink on the side of your wrist than you leave on the paper. While solving the crossword puzzle, you tend to smudge all the letter and hence making it utterly difficult to make out the letters. The ink smudges before it dries unless you give long breaks in between and get mistaken for writing like a kid. And you have to perpetually wash ink and pencil marks off your hand.
5. Credit card swiping
You have to frequently go through the annoying part of shopping when it comes to swiping your credit card. You are supposedly ‘bad’ at swiping the card simply because the swiping end is on the right-hand side. Swiping with your left hand is very difficult. So, while you struggle frantically to swipe your card, you have to bear the raised eyebrows that you get from the cashier.
6. Handshakes
Handshakes are short rituals in which people grasp each other’s hands with a brief up and down movement. You are often the victim of embarrassment where handshakes are concerned. Apparently, using the right hand is considered proper etiquette. It is traditionally and socially acceptable for handshakes to be made with the right hand. But because of your natural instincts, you stretch your left hand. Thus, you have to curb your natural instincts so as to avoid confusion and making the other person uncomfortable.
7. Spiral notebooks
Spiral notebooks are your worst enemies. To add to your writing problems, someone thought it would be a great idea to bind the pages of a notebook in a spiral. The spirals are located on the left-hand side, exactly where you have to place your hand while writing. So you have forgotten about neat handwriting since you the spiral hurts your hands. And not just that, they leave ugly marks on your hand.
8. Upside down measuring tape
Your life is full of struggles and measuring tape doesn’t make it any easier for you. While using the measuring tape, you usually hold the measures in your left hand and pull it with your right hand. The numbers are always upside down and hence reminding you yet again that the world is a cruel place for a lefty.
9. Number pads
Number pads are on the right-hand side of the keyboard. For lefties, it is miles away from their ‘right’ hand, which makes maths more confusing and frustrating. You have to make extra efforts each time to reach them. It is time-consuming and righties will never understand why it takes so long for you to type. So, hand and wrist pain is a common problem for lefties who use the computer frequently. That’s another sad story of your life.
10. Guitars
You can’t just pick up a random guitar and play it to your friends. Asking a lefty to play the right-handed guitar is like asking a saxophonist to play the instrument upside down. The whammy side of the guitar is opposite to you. So you have to bring your own guitar. And since lefties are a minority of the population, lefty guitars are hard to find and also they are expensive. But on the plus side, nobody will ever touch your beloved guitar.
Being left-handed was considered to be an abnormality for decades and lefties were alienated for it. But times and mindsets of people have changed to a great extent and people no longer take it as a mental disease. But that does not mean that lefties face any fewer problems today. Almost everything has been made keeping the right-handed people in mind and there are very fewer options for lefties to find things apt for themselves. The list shows only a few of the problems faced by them as there are tons of things they would want to include to this list. So, don’t forget to give a hug to your lefty friend today and make them feel appreciated.