Monday August 17, 2009

Deft at adapting

By SHARMILLA GANESAN

Left-handed people living in a right-handed world.

ALL year round, left-handers fit in with home and office layouts designed for right-handers’ comfort. They put up with tools, doors, cookers, keyboards and desks made for people wired the other way around, which basically makes lefties look clumsy and awkward.

Well, for at least one day a year, lefties get the upper hand. The world celebrated International Lefthanders Day last Thursday.

There’s usually no fanfare to mark the day, which celebrates the uniqueness of left-handed people, who make up about 7% to 10% of the world’s population. But it helps that there is more awareness of the inconveniences and difficulties lefties face in a world that is predominantly tailored to the right-handed.

This is significant because it wasn’t that very long ago that being left-handed was frowned upon; children were often punished for writing with their left hand and in many societies, being left-handed had negative connotations.

Not cut out for lefthanders: Scissors are among the tools that lefties have difficulty using.

For example, the word “sinister”, which means menacing or threatening, comes from the Latin word, sinestra, which simply means “left”. Over time, however, as the left side became (unfairly) associated with evil, the word took on its current meaning.

The French word for left, “gauche” (now accepted in English), means awkward or lacking in social graces. This kind of discrimination can also be seen in Asia, too. In ancient China, the Mandarin adjective for “left” (zuo) was used to mean “improper”, and in many parts of India, using the left hand is associated with being unclean.

AK, who is 63 years old, for example, says he never wrote with his left hand because it wasn’t an option when he was growing up.

“I was simply taught to use my right hand to write, so that’s what I do now. I can’t write with my left. When I reach for things or use objects like knives or scissors, however, I am much more comfortable using my left hand,” he says. “I also remember being scolded when I was a child, for trying to eat with my left hand.”

While the days of children having their knuckles rapped by teachers for writing with their left hand are gone, left-handed people still face many challenges. A simple task like using a pair of scissors can be awkward and even frustrating.

A home-grown enterprise called Left-Handed Convenience, tries to solve this problem by providing everyday items specifically designed for left-handed users. Chong Siew Chin, one of the owners and a left-hander herself, saw a niche market for gadgets to make life easier for left-handers in 2000.

“Some of the most challenging items to use are scissors, can openers and peelers, as they are all designed to be used by the right hand. Our pencil and pen grips are also quite popular, as they help children position their fingers properly on the instrument,” says Chong.

“Our aim is to create awareness as some parents still have the notion that it’s not good to use the left hand. It’s especially important that we help left-handed young children adapt in a right-handed world, and they are celebrated for their difference rather than labeled as abnormal.”

“Left-Handed Genius!” Jasmin Melan’s T-shirt cheekily proclaims.

Perhaps, the catchphrase isn’t too far from the truth; quite often left-handers are able to perform tasks with their right hand as well, which means they’re one step ahead of their right-handed brethren.

“I guess we live in a right-handed world, and that forces us to learn to do things with our right hand,” says the independent PR consultant.

Jasmin, 45, uses her right hand to play racket sports or cut paper. For writing, chopsticks and soup spoons, however, she is much more efficient with her left hand.

Some have learnt to use either hand for different tasks.

She says she has a tendency to grab things with her left hand. When it comes to using knives or cleavers, Jasmin can use both hands but finds her left more efficient.

“I need my left hand to do the ‘Wok with Yan’ chop!” she laughs.

Jasmin shares that while growing up, she found it difficult to write, as she was taught to do so with a fountain pen.

“I would constantly get ink on my hands and also smudge the writing. That’s why so many lefties write with their fingers curled around the pen and the hand held away from the page,” she explains.

Davinia Nair, 18, who uses her right hand to eat, says that she finds it difficult to carry out certain tasks.

“It’s hard to cut straight with a pair of scissors, and painting is sometimes difficult, too. I also find using the computer mouse challenging,” she says.

However, she has yet to try any leftie gadgets, as they aren’t easy to obtain and can also be rather expensive.

Lefties do, however, have certain advantages. Aaprt from being ambidextrous, certain tasks may be easier for them.

According to Jasmin, it’s a cinch learning to drive with a manual car. “Since the gear stick is on the left, a leftie would find it easier to control when they first start learning,” she says.

Davinia adds that being left-handed makes her feel special as it sets her apart. “Besides that, lefties are supposed to be more creative and I noticed that among my friends.”

Jasmin sums it up best: “It’s just more interesting to be different. After all, no one ever comes up to you to say, ‘Oh, you’re right-handed!’”

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