South Paws (a.k.a. left-handers) are celebrated annually on August 13th hoping to raise awareness about the challenges they face in a predominantly right-handed world and to celebrate their uniqueness.
Being left-handed comes with some complications. In Kindergarten, arts and crafts projects were an awful experience for me. My artistic abilities did not improve until my 1st-grade when teacher gifted me a pair of left-handed scissors! The angels sang that day, and my creative juices were unleashed as I cut through colored construction paper as easy as cutting room-temperature butter.
Sadly, I learned at a very young age that historically, being a South Paw (unclear origin) was viewed with negativity and a little ‘raised eyebrow’ action. My Paw Paw was left-handed and told stories of how his teachers rapped his knuckles for writing left-handed, forcing him to use his right hand (he was my hero for being ambidextrous, or ‘both-handed’). How frustrating?! He also shared that some cultures thought being left-handed was associated with bad luck, weakness, or evil (as if!!!).
Surprisingly, we were gifted notable figures throughout history who were left-handed and exemplified the creativity and intelligence now often associated with left-handedness. I am among those super creative lefties:
- Leonardo da Vinci (The Last Supper/Mona Lisa).
- Marie Curie (radioactivity)
- Albert Einstein (science genius)
- Mo Smith (Writer/Blogger/Military Mom – I couldn’t help myself!)
Even though we only make up 10% of the world’s population (scientists seem to disagree on this approximation) and often encounter challenges in our daily lives, we have adapted to this right-handed world. Scissors and computer mice are now being produced for lefty’s as are desks and writing materials (I often attribute my C+ in math due to the wrong-sidedness of the desk)! I even purchased my 1st left-handed notebook (the dreaded spiral is on the right side)!
Not to mention, sports and extracurricular activities. We’ve faced challenges yet our ability to capitalize on the element of surprise against predominantly right-handed opponents once again proves our creativity (ever saw a right-handed pitcher pitch to South Paw, it’s intense). I encourage you to follow a left-handed golfer, it’s fun to watch!
So- let’s all remember that lefties face unique challenges yet society has begun to work towards creating more inclusive and accommodating things for us: scissors specifically for lefties, desks allowing us to face the right direction (no pun intended), and notebooks with the spiral on the right side. We’re wired differently allowing us enhanced creative abilities, so embrace the South Paw in your life. Doing so helps counteract historical biases and stereotypes allowing a more inclusive and appreciative view of left-handedness.
P.S. It’s always a fun idea to gift us with ‘all things leftie’ as my picture shows. These items are meaningful and priceless.
