International Left Handers day was created to celebrate sinistrality and raise awareness of the advantages and disadvantages of being left-handed in a predominantly right-handed world.
The day is observed every 13th of August to celebrate the uniqueness and differences of the left handers. It was first observed in 1976 by Dean R. Campbell, founder of the Lefthanders International.
The day is observed every 13th of August to celebrate the uniqueness and differences of the left handers. It was first observed in 1976 by Dean R. Campbell, founder of the Lefthanders International.As a mark of honour, the day is set aside to celebrate left-handed people’s uniqueness and differences, a subset of humanity comprising seven to ten percent of the world's population. The day also spread awareness on issues faced by left-handers for example, the importance of the special needs for left-handed children, and the likelihood for left-handers to develop.There are approximately 708 million left-handed people in the world. Men are more likely to be left handed than women.
Popularly refer to as " Lefties", they represent only 10 percent of the world's population, yet they have been such a fascination for so long that study after study has been conducted on what makes them so unique. It is obvious that lefties are normal folks, history wasn't always so kind to them.
Being left-handed is as a result of genes and environment. About 50 per cent of more males than females are left-handed and 17 per cent of twins are, compared with about 10 per cent in general.
Brain dominance also appears to play a part. Most people are right-handed and have language controlled by the left hemisphere, and most left-handers are the opposite. However, some left-handers have language processing in the left hemisphere, or in both.
The genetic basis for left-handedness is complicated. Even if both parents are left-handed there is only a 26 per cent chance of their child being left-handed.
Possessing the ‘LRRTM1’ gene increases the chances, but only if it is inherited from the father.
But whether one becomes a left-handed or not is also dependent on development. It may be influenced by levels of testosterone or oestrogen during pregnancy, and early experience with holding and throwing things can also affect later hand use. Finally, damage to the right hand can make people left-handed.
However, in recent times, majority of lefties are surrounded by a far more benevolent glow. People associate left-handedness with intelligence, out-of-the-box thinking, and artistic thinking.
Scientists have been chipping away at the peculiarities of left-handedness, which occurs in about 10 percent of the population, for a long time. They’ve looked into the purported links between left-handedness and things like mental illness, faulty immune systems, and criminal behavior. They’ve studied whether lefties are better at problem-solving, and if they’re more likely to die young. From all these studies on left-handedness, it was concluded that science is complicated.
Also, a handful of studies have found a link between left-handedness and creativity, conferred (some think) by the fact that left-handed folks constantly have to adjust to a right-handed world. Other studies found no link at all.
Some researchers conclude that lefties are no smarter than righties, while others say that left-handedness comes with a clear intellectual advantage.
According to researchers, very few people are truly entirely left- or right-handed; it’s more of a spectrum. We use our left hands for some things and our right hands for other tasks.
However, Africans look at left-handers with disdain, and quite often reject left-handed handshakes, receiving money from a left hand and collecting things from an outstretched left hand.
Left-handers are usually considered as evil people who are up to no good, but Lots and lots of negative stuff are attributed to lefties; but all these are fast changing as the truth of the matter is that left-handed people have I.Qs of over 140 than right-handed people, which is in the genius bracket.
As we celebrate these unique set of creature, there is no gain saying the fact that they are intelligent people who can solve problems in a matter of seconds, thinking on their feet. Some of the lefties who are making waves around the world include: Mr. Babatunde Fashola – An alumnus of the University of Benin, Edo state, Fashola is a notable lawyer cum governor, now who turned Lagos state around and now Minister of Works and Infrastructure . Others are Mrs Bamidele Abiodun, the wife of Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun , who is known for her penchant for the special needs and less privileged in the Society, Special Adviser to the Ogun State Governor on Lands, Mr. Remi Oluwabiyi, Oprah Winfrey – Known for her philantrophic nature, she hosted her show on TV for years and eventually got her own TV station, Prince William – Late Princess’ Diana’s first son who married a commoner, Kate Middleton, is a perfect gentleman, Julia Roberts – Renowned actress who has an Oscar is well known for her ability to interpret any role amongst others.
Oluwaseun Boye is an Information Officer with the Ogun State Ministry of Information and writes via oluwaseunboye@gmail.com
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