The left-handed, a marginalized 10 per cent of the ‘normal’ population that requires special pens so the ink won’t smudge when they write, are celebrating their largest civil rights victory in decades today.
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Alas, it is Left-Handers Day – “a chance to tell your family and friends how proud you are of being left-handed, and also raise awareness of the everyday issues that lefties face as we live in a world designed for right-handers” – created by an advocacy group of utmost importance that’s celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.
It’s a major step for this fringe segment of society, which is gaining increasing attention from the media. Some even say Obama’s only president because he used his minority status to pander to leftie voters (he’s left-handed).
Jokes aside, there are actually a few issues lefties face that aren’t just the product of ignorant design. Apparently southpaws are more prone to schizophrenia, ADHD, dyslexia, mood disorders, brain disorders, and impaired learning than righties, and also earn 10% less.
So in honour of this most necessary of days, we’re dropping more left-handed knowledge than you’ll find at The Leftorium:
1. Obama, Hendrix, Cobain, De Niro, Marilyn Monroe, Kermit the Frog, Jolie, Julia Roberts, Seinfeld, Oprah – all left-handed. Plus all of these famous people as well.
2. Most sewing machines are designed for lefties.
3. Translations for “left-handed” in many languages are negative. The word ‘sinister’ comes from the Latin for left-handed.
4. The left-handed are NOT more receptive to communism.
5. “God made everyone right-handed, the truly gifted overcome it” is a great quote they can take solace in.
6. The most accepted explanation for why people are left-handed is that it is genetic.
7. The Sistine Chapel was painted by left-handed Michelangelo.
8. Almost 40 per cent of top tennis players are left-handed.
9. Baseball players, as well as fencers, boxers, and swimmers are also disproportionately left-handed.
10. Kangaroos are left-handed.
11. Classroom furniture is among the most discriminatory objects against lefties.
12. They even have their own songs.
13. A high-five between people of different handedness looks weird.
14. Four of the last six U.S. presidents were left-handed (Reagen was ambidextrous)
15. On a QWERTY keyboard there are 1447 English words that can be typed solely with the left hand, while only 187 with the right.
16. Less than 1% of the world’s population can be considered truly ambidextrous.
17. Left-handedness used to be considered a mark of the devil. It’s also associated with creativity and advanced musical ability.
18. Eskimos view left-handers as sorcerers.
19. The Boston Strangler, Jack the Ripper, and Osama Bin Laden were all lefties.
20. Figures drawn by the left hand often face the right.
21. The proportion of left-handers has remained constant for over 30,000 years.
22. Nails grow faster on the left hand than the right.
23. 25% of Apollo astronauts were left-handers.
24. Lefties are easier to scare.
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