I've become a victim of a different kind of hate. I'll bet it's seldom spoken of. Most may not realize the harm just as I didn't at first. It sounds meaningless and it might as well be a joke to most. At first I almost went along with it, little did I know the words were burning a hole in my heart.

I am a left-handed girl. Now, "what are you whining about?" people may say. I sound silly as I speak, but words have gotten to me, I've felt low just for holding a pencil on the opposite hand as everyone else. I've had friends whom have have said that left-handed people will go to Hell. That the Devil likes left-handed people. I am no Devil-Worshipper and I don't believe that the fact that I can't use a gel-ink pen because when I write I drag the ink means that when it comes to my judgement day, I will be sent to Hell with those who have committed murder, rape, and other unthinkable, immoral acts.

I am fifteen going on sixteen and my father still refuses to believe that I am actually left-handed. He believes that I do it as to "rebel", to be "different", he thinks it's a choice, that you learn to be more accessible with a certain hand from a young age, all words which are false. My younger brother once held an item with his left-hand when he was only a year old and my grandfather kept taking it away and putting it on his right hand. I found it odd, considering at the time he had an easier time with the left, so I encouraged him. Boy, was that a mistake. My grandfather yelled at me and once again, switched my brother's object from the left hand to the right. I cried myself to sleep that night, I stopped to think if maybe I was a mistake. Was my family disappointed in me for reaching for objects with the "wrong hand"? That question remains unanswered in my subconscious.

"Jesus sits on God's right side", the Catholic Church decided centuries ago that left-handed people were servants of the Devil. Those who attended Catholic schools were forced to learn to write with their right. This was, until researchers found that the cause of being left-handed was something one was born with, not a choice. But the church always has to find something sinful on anyone who's "different" than themselves. "I have two left-feet." While this may just be a mere saying, it hurts. It is said a left-handed shake is thought to be disrespectful, that right is the correct way. The left side of anything has been frowned upon in many countries and cultures throughout history.

Now, there are also some positive stereotypes said about left-handed people. Things such as that they make better Tennis and Baseball players, that they are considerably more intellectual, and in some tribes, that they possessed special spiritual abilities like magic and healing. In Tantras Buddhism, the left hand represents wisdom. Yet, I am not exceptional in any sports and if anything, I am intimidated by the intelligence of my peers, especially my close friends. I have no talent nor superior intelligence, so what am I? Was I a mistake even to my own people? This question also remains buried in my subconscious.




Society has created many tools and rules that are more efficient for right handed people. You might find it dumb, but simple things as scissors are more accessible for right handed people, computer mouses, watches, and so forth. I prefer using my laptop because it doesn't have a mouse, so it's easier for me to play around on the computer with the little pad. So yes, some words have gotten to me, they've made me feel low, discriminated, like an outcast. Some of my closest friends have sometimes stared at me and then asked, "How are you able to do that with your left?" in such an astonished matter I could've sworn I was levitating right before their eyes. I'd simply smile back and ask, "how are you able to do it with your right?"

I'm proud of the hand I use answer the phone with, I love positioning myself on the opposite side when I'm up to bat during a Softball ball game, where everyone can see and many have pointed out, "wow, she's a leftie", just as I love spotting left-handed people of the opposite team and calling them "my people". I enjoy being a minority, being part of something most people will never be, to do something most others can't. I suppose I really am different in that matter, but I couldn't be gladder. I look around and everyone's right-handed, right-handed look around and everyone's the same as them. Lefties are the ones who truly leave an impact on people, for the scarcity of them around the world.

Here's a little secret I bet will sound surprising to many of you. I myself am as fascinated by right handed people and their way of handling tools as they are of myself and my way of handling them.