On International Left-Handers Day, know about 5 problems only a southpaw will relate to

In India, a left-handed person is often not welcome to perform an auspicious ceremony, and is even referred to as someone who uses the ‘wrong hand’.

Representational image of a left-handed person | Pixabay

What is common between Barack Obama, Bill Gates, Albert Einstein, Oprah Winfrey, Sachin Tendulkar, Rafale Nadal and Amitabh Bachchan? They are all left-handers.

Experts say at least 10 per cent of the people in the world are left-handed, and that’s not a small number. However, despite this, lefties often struggle to perform basic daily tasks in a world designed for right-handers, and until not so long ago, faced widespread social stigma too.

In India, left-handedness is still often considered a bad omen. People who are left-handed are often not welcome to perform puja ceremonies, and a lefty is often referred to as someone who uses the ‘wrong hand’ — ulta (opposite) as opposed to seedha (straight and right).

Back in 1976, the first International Left-Handers Day was observed for the first time. It continues to be observed annually on 13 August.

Here are some of the struggles lefties face in day-to-day life:

Finding a comfortable desk position

If you are a left-hander, you’ll be aware of the difficulty of writing on a desk that really only works for a rightie, and the amount of time you spend adjusting and trying to find the perfect angle. Remember all the times you could not attempt a question altogether, or manage with poor handwriting towards the end of an exam just because you had to spend 10 minutes figuring out a perfect position to write? Plus, the act of writing left to right is itself messy for a left-hander, because your hand or the sheet of paper is bound to get smudged with ink.

Handling household equipment and devices

Scissors, tweezers, bottle openers — most kitchen equipment and even basic household tools are designed keeping right-handed people in mind. It is difficult to find a pair of scissors that works for lefties, and doesn’t hurt their fingers. Computer keyboards and mouses are also right-friendly. When Hindustan Pencils (the stationery major that manufacturers Natraj and Apsara pencils) especially made leftie sharpeners after a four-year-old girl wrote to the company, it was a major breakthrough, but it remains the exception.

Using public transport

The ticket barriers at metro stations typically have the scanner on the right side. Therefore, a leftie, who might instinctively put their metro card or the coin towards the left, will simply open the gate for someone else.

Elbow wars and being pushed to the far left

Lefties always have to be conscious about which side they want to sit. Dining out with a group of friends, they have to make sure that their elbows do not clash with someone else who is eating with their right hand, for which they prefer a seat in the far corner.

Measuring cups, tapes, rulers — all favour the righties

Examine a measuring cup or tape, a ruler or even a lab beaker, and you will see that the the numbers are written in a way that makes them much easier for people using their right hand to see.