When I was about 7 there was a boy in my class who was left handed. He was made to sit on his left hand so he couldn't use it. I doubt that would happen these days.
The advent of the written word might have a lot to do with right and left handed prejudice. In the days of ink wells and quill or stylus, a left handed person has to contort their hand so as to not smear their word prior to blotting and drying. In the European culture, the written word goes from left to right making it difficult for the lefties but in the Asian culture, it goes from top to bottom making it easier for both left and right. Now, I’ll have to check how folks feel about lefties in other cultures when the writing is from right to left.
I think at the dawn of time it also had to do with which hand you used to eat and which hand you wiped your butt.
That would be the "or other" part. I think most missed that because the title refers to left or right, so it's a good thing to bring it up again.
It still does in some Muslim countries, which is where left-handers are greatly discriminated against. People aren't supposed to touch things with their left hand, and offering to shake hands with your left hand, or offering someone something that you are holding with your left hand, these are serious insults.
@Gloria Mitchell Seems I started out doing a lot with my left hand, no one minded, but for reasons unknown, it was easier for me to write with my right hand. So, I grew up pretty much able to do most things, except write, with either hand, though there seems to be built-in preference: I throw best with my left arm, kick a football with my right foot, bowl with the left, handle hand tools equally well with either without any preference. If I'm painting a wall, let's say, and one hand and arm tires, I just switch to the other without thinking about it. I pick my nose........infrequently. Does it matter which hand is used to "wipe" with?? Frank
@Gloria Mitchell I guess I do tend to draw attention, usually of an unintended nature, don't I? Frank
Paul McCartney is left-handed. Yesterday, August 13th, was International Left Handers Day! A belated....