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Monday 25 August 2008

Being Left Handed - a personal viewpoint

Yes, I was born left handed. At Primary School I had the misfortune of being segregated and scorned upon by a god-fearing and prejudiced teacher in Form 3. She set out from the off to rid herself of the left-handed heretic in her class (seriously). Therefore whenever I used my left hand I would be ridiculed and scorned upon by the teacher. Because she did this publically in front of the whole class ... it meant I was seen as 'oddball' and 'different'. Because of her own religious bigotry I was subjected to unnecessary peer pressure. As a result, I became a very determined and headstrong little sod who taught himself to be ambidextrous (both left handed and right handed) ...

Throughout my life I've been able to play badminton, table tennis and tennis holding the racket in either hands. I am predominately left handed when it comes to writing, but I do hold my pen/pencil in a way right handed people do. My handwriting when written with the right hand is completely different (like another person has written it - which has had its distinct advantages over the years!).

I guess as a result of being left handed, my creativity and sensitivity has been heightened though I don't personally believe the two are linked.

Fortunately, after leaving Primary School, there has been no repeat of the cruel bigotry that Mrs Hastings (not her real name) subjected me to all those years before. I've been in environments where left-handedness has been in the majority ... which was quite pleasing at the time. But as far as I am concerned, there is no advantage in being either left handed or right handed. For the record, my late Father was also left handed (also very artistic and sensitive) ... my Mother is right handed.