Disadvantages of Being Left Handed

DISADVANTAGES OF BEING LEFT HANDED

Despite all the myths, superstitions and beliefs originated especially in the last century regarding the left handers, the truth is that they do not enjoy the same benefits as right hand people do. Left handed people have to deal with social, educational and safety disadvantages, which regrettably would be considered a kind of discrimination. Even in the current century where the technology advances play a key role in many fields, we could find left handers dealing with the problems facing the above mentioned disadvantages.

First, left handed people have to deal with social disadvantages. Indeed, left handers are not people with disabilities and they do not like to be seen in that way. Also, every person has the right to be happy and to feel comfortable, even in a restaurant or a sports club. Unfortunately, for left handers it is not so easy. For example, to learn more about left handed, I interviewed my nephew, Gilbert, who told me how uncomfortable he feels every time he sits in a restaurant next to a right hander who demonstrates a kind of discomfort. In the other hand, for a left hander it´s hard to find a gulf or baseball club because most pieces of equipment are designed to right handed users. And that is precisely the reason why Gilbert decided to become an international yoga trainer certified, instead a baseball player. Among the social disadvantages there is another very important, and it´s the one that refers to the employment issue. It´s unfair that left-handed people earn lower salaries than the right-handed because some kinds of machinery are designed only for right handers.

Secondly, other disadvantages for left handed persons are the educational ones. It is important to emphasize the school is a second home for children, so, for many left handed kids it is really important to be valued and accepted for what they are. However, there have been cases where left handed children are forced by their teachers to be right handed users. Moreover, most of the school and computer supplies are made for right-handers. Fortunately, there were some positive changes in this respect, and schools are required to offer the supplies for left-handers, such as, chairs, desks, scissors, including the mouse that is suitable for both right- and left-handed users to be used in the computing classroom. In addition, left handed students need to adjust things, for example, they write slower than right handers. But, Gilbert also explained me, even though this condition, left handers thinks faster than right handed people.

Finally, there are also safety disadvantages affecting left handers. It's almost impossible to believe that in this XXI century there are unsafely situations for left handled people that put their lives at risk. In fact, heavy machinery, knives and other tools become dangerous because they are designed for right handers. Therefore, the lefties had also been hospitalized more often for injuries due to labor accidents. Besides, more left handed children are treated in hospital emergency rooms for accidental injuries than for non-accidental emergencies, such as allergies, etc.

To sum up, it´s important to bear in mind that being a left handed is not anymore a social stigma, at least in this century. Certainly, all people have a right to participate in cultural life and those that need special attention should be included. Everyone is entitled to the same level of opportunity, to the same basic level of living, of security, and everyone should enjoy the human right to education no matter if he or she is a left handed person. In fact, throughout history we have known outstanding left handers as leaders as Barak Obama, politicians, artists, and of course, good nephews as Gilbert who excelled at this studies, graduating number one as chemical engineer at an American university. Actually, there shall be no discrimination to left handers because they should be treated in the same way as any right hander.