I'm actually not left-handed, but I have this bizarre curiousity about lefties. Where I live, Bangkok, left-handedness is considered bad luck, and I've seen mothers trying to make their left-handed children switch. That's extremely cruel - I read somewhere that if a child is forced to switch, he/she eventually starts to hate writing and, sometimes, schoolwork altogether.

Anyway... are you left-handed? Did your parents or teachers try to make you switch? Do you enjoy being "different" or would you rather be right-handed? What difficulties or annoying situations have you encountered in your life, due to of your handedness?

-- Anonymous, July 16, 2000

Answers

I am ambidextrous. I think that having the ability to write and use both hands with the same amount of ease and dexterity is wonderful! I get a lot of comments and off-the-wall looks from strangers who might see me write something (say, signing for a credit card purchase) with my left hand and then sign a check with the other hand.

Nobody ever tried to make me change which hand I used for writing. It was one of those things where everyone always paid a lot of attention to me when I did write as though I was some kind of mutant for having dexterity in both hands. *Laughs*

But seriously, I've heard that left-handed people are more likely to have health problems and are more accident-prone than someone who is right-handed. I don't have anything to back those claims up with, though.

The one thing that I have found difficult with being mainly left- handed (I prefer using my left hand for everything) is computer mouses. All of them are angled for right-handed people. It is so strange to switch them around because of their shape. I love my trackball.

-- Anonymous, July 16, 2000

A lot the creative and/or interesting people I've met were left- handed. I knew at least two people who were born left-handed but were forced to switch, making them semi-ambidexterous.

As for myself - I used to use the left-handed writing desks in high school, but that's about it. :)

-- Anonymous, July 16, 2000

I am a lefty, and really I don't think about it too much. It gets in the way sometimes, like sitting down for dinner next to a righty and bumping elbows all through the meal. I've always used the computer mouse with my right hand; it just doesn't work left-handed. I do detest right-handed desks in classrooms, but I've learned to deal. One plus is that left handed people supposedly use the right side of the brain to write, or draw, or whatever, and I've read that the right side of the brain is the creative and imaginative side. Maybe that's all BS, but I'm pretty sure it's been proven that the left side of the body is controlled by the right side and vice versa. I kind of like being left-handed, probably just the stubbornness in me that likes to be different and difficult! I don't remember anyone trying to make me right-handed. But how did left-handedness get to be so bad anyway? And where did the term 'southpaw' come from?

-- Anonymous, July 16, 2000

Meg - is your handwriting when you write with your left the same as with your right? That's a stupid question but I'm just wondering :)

Something interesting... I never noticed this, but someone pointed it out. Almost all pens and pencils are made for right-handers. When you hold a pen/pencil with your right hand, the text on it can be read, but when you hold it with your left, it's upside-down.

www.thelefthand.com - left-handed merchandise, including keyboards with the "enter" and arrow keys on the left, and clocks where the numbers are going in the opposite direction (1 and 2 are on the left, etc). The clocks make no sense to me.

http://www.io.com/~cortese/left/southpaw.html Sarah - you'll probably find out everything you want to know here.

-- Anonymous, July 16, 2000

Thanks so much for the URL, Kathy! I must order one of those computer mouses (mice? er...) because it would certainly be easier for this lefty to do her everyday tasks of working as a computer nerd. *Laughs*

To answer your question: my writing is a bit different with each hand. If I write with my left hand, my writing slants way to the left and is backhand. But if I write with my right hand (try saying THAT ten times fast...) it slants way to the right and is loopy.

Another trick that kind of runs in the family is taking one pen in each hand and starting at opposite ends of a piece of paper and writing out your name to make each pen meet in the middle of the paper. It is a bit scary; I can do this trick and the writing looks almost like my regular signature.

Has anyone taken a look at the mugs on that site that was posted above? The mugs have cute little sayings on them but if you look at it, the handles of the mugs are on the right-hand side of the mug and/or saying, so if someone took the mug in their left hand, all you'd see is the plain side of the mug (unless, of course, that it had the same saying on each side, but I doubt it).

-- Anonymous, July 16, 2000

I'm left-handed, and so's my husband. Does anybody know whether this is genetic?

The only thing I ever have problems with is can-openers - for some reason I can't deal with them!

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000

I'm left-handed, too. No one ever tried to force me to become a righty, so I never considered it to be a big thing. I do remember having a pin on my backpack in elementary school that read "Left- handed people are in their right minds!" but that's about it.

As far as difficulties are concerned, I DESPISE clipboards. I can cut with right-handed scissors, use the can openers, have no trouble with a computer mouse, but clipboards kill me. The clip always gets in the way, because I normally turn my paper sideways. Journals without a spiral bind can be problematic, too.

I think it's funny how fascinated people can be by the way I write. I figured, as long as it's legible, it shouldn't really matter how I manuever my paper.

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000

I wonder if a hypnotist could make you left-handed. It all has to do with the brain, after all - doesn't it? Ok never mind, just another one of my odd ideas.. :)

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000

I forgot about clipboards and notebooks with spirals in them. I always curse those clipboard makers out whenever I need to use one. I did find a clipboard by Mead that had a smooth metal clip at the top of the board that was flat against the paper - it was like a report cover prong that held it in place. It was easier to work with.



-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000

I'm not a lefty but with the exception of one every man I've ever dated has been a lefty and each one has told me weird stories of teachers trying to make them write with their right hand. The public school teachers seemed to imply they were stupid or slow and the Catholic school nuns actually hit them on the knuckles with a ruler.

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000

I am naturally left-handed but thanks to a teacher in 3rd grade who used to beat my hand with a ruler, I am ambidextrous. Umm, did I spell that correctly? I mean I can use either hand. Actually I draw and write and eat with my left hand and do everything else with my right hand. Yeah, I'm weird. Shut up. When I play baseball, I bat and catch and throw the ball right-handed. I can even write with my right hand if I have enough room. I do fine at a blackboard, for instance. Are left-handed people more prone to accidents? Well, let's see. I've broken my nose at least twice, broke both my wrists when I fell out of an amusement ride and fell about 30 feet, I broke my back and 4 ribs when a car hit me from behind, I have more scars than an alligator wrestler, and I've been knocked out cold on at least five occasions. So, maybe there's something to that theory.

-Dave-

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000

I'm not, but I may have been naturally. I had the worst handwriting on the planet for years. I was coerced to change so many basic things about myself at an early age because my parents or techers didn't think they were what was best for me, let's just say I wouldn't be surprised if my "handedness" was on the list. (They weren't able to beat all the creativity and 'different-ness' out of me, but they tried their damndest.)

My best friend of 25+ years is a lefty...and when I transferred to this department, I noticed within a week that 5 out of 6 of my bosses and managers are lefties. :) Unusally high percentage, I'm guessing. Christmas and Chunnukah gifts will be easy this year, though.

Since I'm right-brained, we get along fine.

M

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000

My brother is left-handed, and so is my boyfriend's mom. This isn't unusual, until you consider the theory about left-handed people origionally being twins.

When Andrew was born, the doctors were actually suprised that there was only one baby, because they thought there were two. There were two placentae. So, everyone in my family thinks that Andrew was supposed to be twins.

Jay's mom found out recently that she was a twin, but her sister died at birth.

Now, I'm not saying that all left handed people were once twins, because I don't have all that information at my fingertips. I saw it on a documentary, and I thought it was interesting.

Another theory that I've heard is if left-handed children (especially boys) are forced to use their right hand, something short-circuits in the brain that causes them to develop a stutter. I have known lefties who were forced to use their right hands, and several of them do have stutters. I always thought this was interesting, and it confirms that we shouldn't force children to go against their natures as lefties. We don't know what we're really doing to them.

So, can any lefties out there confirm or deny either of these theories? I'm interested in finding out.

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000

I am left-handed, and it is really hard to sit at fancy dinners unless you are on the end because you bump the elbow of the person next to you. But it's really cool, because it's only 13% of the population, so it's very rare. But I am a lefty, and we RULE!

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000

Oh this is scary. I'm going to quote some of Heather's message here, just for background:

>Another theory that I've heard is if left-handed children (especially >boys) are forced to use their right hand, >something short-circuits in the brain that causes them to develop a >stutter. I have known lefties who were forced to >use their right hands, and several of them do have stutters. I always >thought this was interesting, and it confirms that >we shouldn't force children to go against their natures as lefties. >We don't know what we're really doing to them.

Well Heather, I am left-handed but like I was saying in my previous post, I can now use my left or right hand for most things. And I DO STUTTER. It's not obvious to most people because I try really hard to keep it under control. I have to carefully think before I speak though, to keep from stuttering, especially if I'm excited or nervous for some reason.

I always thought that my stuttering problem was part of the trauma I went through in school with the teacher I mentioned before. She used to paddle me almost every day and never ONCE let me eat lunch or go out for recess. Instead, I had to stand in the corner with my nose against the wall. Yeah yeah, I know. A teacher can't get away with stuff like this in the United States now, but this was a long time ago when teachers could do just about anything they wanted.

So, do I have a problem with stuttering because I was forced to be right-handed or because I was beaten like a dog? I guess I'll never know.

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000

I'm chiming in a bit late here, but I too am a left and DAMN PROUD OF IT. Honestly, I don't think about it much. I have that lefties tend to be more creative than righties, and I think it's true.

Of course, I don't have the best luck ever. Maybe it IS the curse of the left hand!

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000

I'm a lefty. I'm the only one in my family, though. People always make jokes about my mom and the postman or something.

The weird thing is, I have a LOT of friends who are left-handed too. One time about ten of us went out to Denny's and we all moved for the "lefty seat" (at the left end of the table so you don't bump elbows). We realized all ten of us are left-handed. Also, my current boyfriend is, too. And my college roommate. What is the deal with that?

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000

I'm left-handed, but I never saw it as a real problem.. during elementry we had about 4 more lefties in the class, and it was mainly "cool you're a lefty too".. none of my family (even the big ones) are lefties other than my uncle. the most problem is opening a can of something with a can opener =)

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000

I'm not left-handed, but if I ever have kids, and one is a boy, I may try the opposite of the folks in Bangkok. If he's tending to be right-handed, I'll make him switch to lefty. Reason being, if you are left-handed and can pitch even half way decently, you'll always have a job in the major leagues. There's such a shortage of left-handed pitchers that you don't even have to be that good. My boy would be able to take care of me well into my old age.

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000

Interesting topic.

I am a lefty too, and yes, my elementary school teachers in Texarkana, Texas (where I lived for 2 years) made me write right- handed. My handwriting is atrocious too, which I blame on them. ;- ) I would make a good presciption-writer.

Back in second/third grade I remember the teachers standing over me/watching me to make sure I did not write with my right hand. I remember my hand being smacked with a ruler every time they noticed I was not using my left hand. The worst part is they told my mother and I that it was school policy that every one use their right hand to write. I remember other kids being subjected to the same standards. I wonder if their handwriting is as bad as mine ...

This is exceptionally terrible I think because I first started learning to write with my left hand before we moved to that Texas school district. I remember thinking that they thought I was "Bad". Now, I would just tell them to go fu%k themselves. Some teacher better NOT try this on my kids.

I still write with my right hand, but do most other things as lefties would do it.

Lastly, I do not stutter and I am not accident prone (knock on wood.)

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000

I know there is a term for people like me, but I don't know what it is.

I write with my right hand, but do everything else with my left hand from turn cartwheels to sewing to opening pickle jars. It's the stronger hand, but I can't write with it.

I always assumed that I did so much with my left hand because my mother is left handed and taught me how to do most of those things...but then I read about it more and there is a term. Not ambidextrious...but something else.

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000

I'm not a lefty .. but I in elementary school, I remember the left- handed kids always got the cool green scissors. I was jealous...

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000

I do have one bitch about being a lefty. Don't y'all just get fuckin pissed off when you ink/lead smears as you try to take notes?

I swear nothing looks more professional than bright blue smudges all over my left hand!

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000

I refuse to write with a pencil because of those nasty lead smears. And forget about using erasable pens. Grr! I feel your pain, Holly!

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000

I'm not left handed. I do everything with my right hand, but I cannot eat with it. I must eat with my left. Is that wierd?

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000

Wendy:

Yes, it is weird. We've come to expect that of you.

Love...

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000

It's not just lefties that get pen and pencil smudges. I hold my writing utensils funky and thus I frequently have smudges on my right hand.

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000

Me, too. Instead of holding my pen or pencil with my first finger and thumb, resting on my second finger, I hold it with the first two fingers and thumb, resting the pen on my third finger. I've been doing it all my life, and teachers tried to fix it, because they saw that as the reason why I had such crappy writing. They even bought me little triangle rubber thingies for my pencils, which were supposed to make me hold my pencil properly. It made it easier to hold it wrong, and to this day I still do it. It looks like I'm holding the pencil in my fist, but it doesn't really contribute to my horrible writing. I just have bad handwriting. I really wish my teachers had gotten over that fact and let me be, because I still can't see one of those triangle thingies without it bringing back memories (and not good ones). I guess my experience was a lot like lefties who were forced to write with their right hands.

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000

My sister and I are both lefties, but neither of our parents are.

I write the same way as Heather, with the thumb and first 2 fingers resting on the 3rd. Teachers never tried to change anything about how I write and I often get comments from people who like my handwriting. I find that many of the extremely creative and intelligent people I know are lefties.

When I use spiral bound notebooks, I use the back side of the page, it works pretty well. I do most things righty, for example cutting and throwing. Most of the things my parents taught me to do, I do righty, because that's how they showed me. Even though my parents taught me to write, I think I just picked up the pencil with my left and went with it.

I don't run in to many problems as a lefty. It's nice, whenever you run across another lefty, there's always a connection between the two of you.

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000

As far as I know, "handedness" is not genetic. The genetics part of my anthropology major has been sporadic, but I do recall hearing that. You'd think if it were, it would be a recessive trait. Both my parents are lefties but I'm not...so if it were genetic, I should be, with the double recessive thing.

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000

I tend to believe that is true, Kaela. All of my relatives on both sides of my parents have all been right-handed for four generations back. There are no exceptions. I'm the only lefty around so it can't possibly be genetic.

On the other hand (pun intended), I am ambidextrous so perhaps one of my genes decided to do something funky and move around on me. Who knows.

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000

I'm a lefty, but I can't tell you for certain if it's genetic. My great grandmother and I are the only two people I know of for several generations back in our family who are/were lefties and she was forced to write with her right hand as a child.

Yes, I've add idiotic techers who didn't necessarily try to make me switch, but did make it clear that they didn't like it. One stone-age hag even suggested that it was a clear sign of being in cahoots with Satan.

We do have an advantage playing baseball, though. If you bat lefthanded, you're closer to first base when you start running.

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000

Thanks for those answers regarding the genetics ... my hazy recollections of sixth form Biology seemed to suggest it wasn't an inherited trait, and you've all proved this right.

Yes, I'm always covered in ink smudges, and I bitterly resent being unable to write with a fountain pen. And I always start writing in notebooks at the back instead of the ground.

But strangely, I use scissors with my right hand.

-- Anonymous, July 18, 2000

Interesting - I'm glad to find out that it's not genetic after all. Both my sister and me are left handed, but my parents are both right handed. I always thought the reason why some people turned out left handed when all their relatives were right handed is because they did have left handed ancestors somewhere on the family tree who were forced to become righties.

I have not encountered any problems being left handed. No one ever forced me to use a particular hand while doing any activity. I use my left hand for almost everything except batting, probably because that's how my dad bats, and he was the one who stood behind me holding the bat while teaching me.

I'm a bit clumsy, but in a humorous way, not a serious injury sort of way. No broken bones or anything, just cuts and scrapes and bruised dignity.

-- Anonymous, July 18, 2000

I'm lefthanded. Well, semi-ambidextrous. No one ever tried to get me to switch hands, but I divide tasks evenly between both hands. I only use right-handed scissors, I bowl righthanded, and I play baseball (catching, pitching, AND batting) either way, because I'd been playing for a couple of years before I got a left-handed glove. I eat with either hand, depending on whether or not I'm sitting next to a right handed person. :) And I write mainly with my left, though my handwriting with my right hand is perfectly legible and looks fine. Sometimes I take notes with my right, but not often. The only concession to my lefthandedness that my mom had to make was getting her left-handed sister to teach me to tie my shoes. For some reason, I just could not do it right handed.

-- Anonymous, July 19, 2000

I can relate with most of the posts here. I use my left hand for everything. From batting to writing, mousing and holding. I even force people to shake my left hand. I sometimes get bad looks from people, or just curious questions about "what is it like?...". My size (6'1" and 245lbs.) prevents people from bossing me around or haggleing me though. I wouldn't mind if they did though, I take everything easy going and don't get mad when people get upset. I usually just assume that they are causing undue stress on themselves and chuckle at how they are shortening their own life span. as for the Teachers, some did try to make me right handed, but my mother (right handed) told them what she would do to them if she ever caught them forcing me to change. She is a kind woman, she just felt that if I was born with it, then god meant me to have it, so I should stay left-handed. Anyone know of any left-handed 17 year old females in shawnee oklahoma area? just wondering, I happen to be 17, so I thaught i would ask, since I have never met a left handed woman.

-- Anonymous, April 12, 2001

It's cool to left-handed. I am.

-- Anonymous, July 02, 2001

I'm a lefty and so is my sis but my mom is a righty and she has never tried to get us to write with our right hands. I love being differnt from everone in my class ( I'm the only lefty) but It can be hell at times like when your at the table and you have to sit by a righty and you bump arms the whole nite while your trying to eat! but i can do alot with my right hand which alot of leftys find hard like cutting paper with sissors my mom never bought left-handed sissors so I just got used to them . I throw a ball with my left hand but I catch with my right and i'm much better at catching then throwing which can be a pain in my baseball(5 years) but I don't have to much trouble using my left/right hand but it is fun being different!I find that i'm more creative then all of my friends(all rightys) and I can write poetry like 5 times better then most of them(thanks to creativy) but even with some problems with being a lefty I never change to a righty !I love being a lefty!

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002