Today, August 13 is International left-handers day. Only about 12 percent of the people in the world are left handed, so that explains why many products are designed with only right-handers in mind.
Apart from products and equipment, many left-handed Nigerians have had their skulls almost knocked in when they instinctively hand things to adults with their left hands because it is considered disrespectful and rude.
Here are 8 struggles left-handers have to face.
- Scissors:
I just had to share these with my #southpaw friends today,
These lefty scissors were made for my granddad when he was just five years old!Happy #LeftHandersDay, guys and gals! The struggle is real!
Today I don't have to apologize for the blurry pic. T'was taken with my right! pic.twitter.com/VZ2npARiG6— Kiery (@mrdougthebrony) August 13, 2018
Scissors may seem basic to you as a right-hander but they’re a nightmare for left-handers. Most scissors are designed with the space for the thumb above which is the revers way for left-handers to use it. There are scissors for left handed people but the gag is that they’re more expensive than regular scissors.
- Chairs and desks:
https://twitter.com/em_palumbo/status/1029028554753888258
Chairs and desks are mostly designed with the desk part on the right, making it almost impossible for left-handed persons to write while using them.
- Mugs and travel cups:
Active discrimination against the left-handed community pic.twitter.com/K0fZzEA236
— لوك (@52849I) May 8, 2015
You know those cute travel mugs that you slide pen the cover and sip from? Left-handed persons cannot enjoy that simple pleasure. The mugs are often designed with the sipping part facing you if you hold it with your right hand. If you eat with your left hand, then there’ll be problems.
Also, cute character mugs may be only usable if you drink from them while holding them with your right hand. As for mugs with text, be prepared to read upside down.
- Serving spoons and ladles:
Left handed problems. When the spout is on the "right" side. Damn it , I can't pick it up with my other hand. pic.twitter.com/q574KKwhLG
— Sara L (@Young_Ajummah) July 27, 2017
A number of kitchen utensils are designed with right-handed people in mind. From can openers to ice cream scoopers and ladles.
It’s going to be pretty difficult for a left-handed person to scoop something using this ladle while it is a breeze for right-handed folks.
- Ink and lead stains:
This is what my hand looks like after writing a 5 page essay and 5 paragraph long short answer questions… pic.twitter.com/SlB0kNl1De
— Anna Huffstutler (@A_Huffstutler) December 6, 2013
Writing from left to right while left-handed can be pretty challenging. Your hand moves over what you just wrote, smudging it and staining your hands. It can be really annoying
- Notebook binders:
Notebooks with binders on the left are a problem for lefties. Writing in them is difficult because starting from left to right, the binders get in their way.
Some lefties just solve that problem by writing from right to left or by writing only in the middle.
- You might get no love on your coffee:
Literally my life… #leftyproblems #lefthanded RT if you are left handed!!🎀 pic.twitter.com/JzmWSeV0P1
— JordanMarie_x (@JordanMarie_xx) August 17, 2017
Hold the mug of coffee in your left hand and the message you get is completely different from your right-handed friend.
- Seating arrangements at the dining table may be a little awkward:
If you are seated next to a right hand person, their right elbow and your left elbow will keep colliding as you eat.