Left-Handers Day
Since the middle ages, being left-handed has been a struggle. Granted, back then it meant that you were accused of witchcraft and burnt at the stake, but nowadays it is still a struggle with which scissors to use, how to stop ink smudges, etc.
To help with this, the Left-Handers Club was created in 1990 in an attempt to keep members in touch with the latest developments, and to make their viewpoints known to the various manufacturers, etc. It was also created to provide a help and advice line, and promote research into being left-handed alongside developing left-handed items for them to use. The club has been very successful and continues to go from strength to strength every year.
The Left-Handers Club first launched International Left-Handers Day on 13th August 1992. It is now an annual event which enables left-handers to celebrate their sinistrality (left handedness) and to increase the public awareness of the advantages/disadvantages of being left-handed (and to hopefully dispel a few myths too).
Left-Handers Day is gaining in popularity every year and more regional events mark the day every year. Some of the events used to promote it are:
- Left v. Right sports matches
- Left-handed tea parties
- Pubs only using left-handed corkscrews for the day
- Pub games only played with the left hand
- Right-handed people to try only using left-handed utensils, to show how awkward it is for the left-handers every day of their lives
These events have created more awareness of the difficulties and frustrations felt by left-handers than any other methods, and have led to improved product designs for lefties.
Are you a ‘leftie’? Do you have a ‘leftie’ in your life that struggles with right-handed implements? Maybe a petition for more ‘leftie-friendly’ designs should be created…
What do you think?
