Which hand do you...Ah, never mind. This was inspired by an article in a local newspaper, and by the fact I never really get to talk about being left-handed. It just isn't one of those topics which pop up in everyday conversation. Although, if I can manage to work homosexuality into just about every conversation, working being left-handed into a conversation should be a piece of cake.
Left Is Right
A Gay Opinion 6/04/01
by R.A. Melos
Being June is Pride Month, and I've already come out as a gay pagan, the only
thing left to do is face the final societal stigma which challenges me. I am
officially coming out as a Southpaw. I am left-handed. If I didn't come right
out and tell people I was left-handed, I could pass for "normal."
Now I know what you're thinking, I've heard it all my life, "why am I left-handed?
Did I choose to be left-handed? Was I born left-handed? Don't I know it's just
not right? Why haven't I tried to change my left-handed ways?" Oh yes,
I've heard all the anti-left-handed prejudice.
I know our world is much more tolerant of those of us who are "that way."
Although, back in first grade, when I was introduced to pencil and paper, my
teacher was horrified to discover she had a "lefty" in her classroom.
I thank her to this day for her efforts to force me to write with my right hand,
because the only thing she succeeded in doing was to permanently confuse me
when giving directions so I must stop and think which way is left.
Unlike many of "my people," I was not able to go either way, and am
one-hundred percent left- handed. I admit, I tried to be ambidextrous. Alas,
I just couldn't live a right-handed lie. No matter how easy it may be for some,
I just can't swing both ways. Oh sure there are a couple of things I can do
extremely well with my right hand. One of the things I do well with my right
hand is operate a computer mouse.
I know how lucky I am to live in a time when the world has become so tolerant
of my natural born left-handedness. While I did experience some mild closed
mindedness and prejudice at an early age, due to my natural inclination for
doing everything with my left hand, it was barely noticeable, and people became
very accepting of my almost invisible difference. In fact, it was only when
writing or playing sports when my "alternate lifestyle" became noticeable.
There was a time when I would've been tortured, beaten, bullied, abused, even
put to death, for simply being the left-handed person I was born to be. And,
unfortunately, there are still ignorant people out there who are anti-left-handed
and express their prejudice through bigoted remarks and offhanded slurs.
For many people, it isn't enough when a majority of the world is right-handed
and most of the laws and mores of society are geared for them. After all, many
states allow right-hand turns at red traffic signals. Oh sure, "righties"
balked when the "No Right Turn On Red" signs started to appear, because
they viewed this as discriminatory, but lets not forget how much restriction
the right-handed world places on those of us who choose to live our left-handed
lives openly.
Over the course of time it became apparent to the right-handed world how little
difference there really was between "lefties" and "righties,"
and with some concessions on the part of the right-handed world, such as special
scissors, computer mice, writing desks, those of us who are openly left-handed
have blended into society with little effort and, for the most part, are accepted.
Now, for those of you who are too stubborn, closed-minded, right-handed to recognize
the parallels I'm drawing between left-handedness and homosexuality, and right-handedness
and heterosexuality, this is the point where I spell it all out for you.
There was a time when religious leaders spoke out against the evils of being
left-handed with the same vehemence they are today using when speaking out against
homosexuality. There was a time when being left-handed made you suspect of every
crime imaginable, in spite of your innocence. There was a time when society
could deny you legal rights based on which hand was your dominant hand.
It has taken centuries of educating the ignorant of society, those who choose
not to accept that which differs from themselves, for left-handed persons to
come to a place where they are accepted as they are. And now, its time for the
same consideration to be given to homosexuals. It is apparent from the lessons
of the history of being left-handed, eventually homosexuality will be viewed
the same way being left-handed is viewed. It's just a natural life direction,
a toss of the DNA coin, as to what dominant eye color, hair color, brain control,
and sexuality a person will have, and it will not be something which calls for
legislation, or religious persecution, but simply another human difference.
I say that time is now, because I'm tired of dealing with the closed minded
righties. It's time to accept everything as it is, without constantly trying
to change things, because things are changing naturally, now when the time is,
dare I say it, "right."