Seems I have something to confess. I....am......left-handed. I write with my left-hand. This might be a shock to some people. I thought I would get it off my chest it's been weighing on me for about 40 years. Every time I pick up a pen and write something down and some reason people feel the need to comment on it. It's a lame conversation. I've never really understood these conversations ever since I was a kid, these odd forced unnecessary interactions that go as follows:

Person I've never met before, but feels they want to call me out as I write down something on paper for them: "Oh a lefty."
My initial rebuff, signaling this conversation is dumb and I've heard it before, I say it with overwhelming disinterest: "Yep"
Person wanting to continue the conversation despite my initial indicators I do not want to talk about it: "I suppose that's alright. I think I can trust you anyways."
I then apply a general coup de grace statement that signals the end of our conversation about which hand I tend to use when I write and switch the conversation to which hand I use when I am alone: "I suppose. I masturbate with my right though."
End of conversation. Then it gets kind of awkward as we look at each other. I can now see the regret in their eyes that they decided to start and try to continue the unwanted conversation. I usually wave goodbye to that person with my right so they can feel comfortable, or uncomfortable(their choice). It's a conversation style that doesn't make many friends, but leaves me with some satisfaction. I figure that person must be a rabid Anti-Leftite.

I have always found it fascinating that such a small and irrelevant difference causes people to feel they need to talk about it. It is inherently human to focus on anything that is considered not normal. It seems so insignificant.Yet at one time it was a pretty big deal to be left-handed. People tried to change the hands their children used to write. Some cultures looked at it as evil, some looked at it as good luck(it's neither, for I am neither wholly evil or lucky). Yet it's a small insignificance that is a part of me that I would not change for anything, even to be able to use one of those stupid mounted classroom pencil sharpeners without looking like I am trying to start an early 1900's automobile(Younger readers will have to probably google both of those things to figure out what I am talking about). My brothers are both left-handed, my mother is left-handed. It's the one thing we all have in common besides our stunning good looks. Yet, it still bothers me when for some reason people point it out. Especially in front of other people. kind of like a "Hey look this idiot doesn't write like you or me". Why is that? To me it's the one thing where I am truly different, or even fall into a different category or even am stereotyped as not being normal. Such a little thing. When I think about it, is it no wonder it's so hard for other people to stand up and say they are different than what is called the "norm" in our society? If we can't even treat left handed and red headed people as being normal(don't even think about being a red-headed left-hander, throw step-child on top of that, you just might be screwed in this society), no wonder so many people are afraid to voice they are different in major ways. If we can't even let a little thing like being left-handed go unnoticed or questioned, why would someone want to talk about the depression they feel? Why would someone want to talk about how hard some area of their life is currently? If we judge so harshly on the mundane differences, what chance do we have with airing out our insecurities over perceived greater weaknesses?
I remember my own relatives talking about us being left handed like it wasn't right(no pun intended), they were just joking around but subconsciously it probably sent signals to other relatives "We can accept left handed alright, but nobody better be any more different than that". A society that keeps us conforming and wants to point out that we are different rather than pointing out why we are all the same. The answer is we're all human by the way, that's what we have in common. We're all human. We're all in this together and we need to make it work. Unfortunately, there is no power in working completely together. There is no one with the upper hand when we embrace our differences and work together for us all to get along. It's easier to point out the people that are different in order to curry favor and grace with the larger group or even control the larger group. Such a little thing, yet nearly impossible to attain to be accepted as equal despite our differences. Maybe to look at our fellow human being and just say "Hey I accept you are different. We don't have to talk about it, and I'm not going to be an asshole about it. We can talk and disagree on certain things that are personal choices but not worry about the way we were born." It seems so simple, yet, if we can't get by the little things that should be old hat like left-handed, red-hair(you know: Gingers), skin color, or yes even the "dreaded gay people", how are we going to bypass the deep rooted divisive things like religion, science, politics and public restrooms? I'm not perfect. There are a lot of things I can't get right when it comes to dealing with other people. I try though. I try to be a good person and accept people for the way they are born and some of the problems they may have. We all struggle with it in some form, the simple answer is if it doesn't directly impact your life it isn't your business, in the words of some famous guy: let it be. I know being left-handed is the absolute smallest, lamest stereotype I can possibly fall into with prejudices so minor it's relevancy is barely a blip in general, yet it's there. It gives me a very small perspective, in that if it feels somewhat distasteful for me when something so tiny is brought up, how can it feel for people who are truly ostracized and singled out for their differences? People that are bullied for stuttering. People that can't get keep jobs because they can't get out of bed because of chemical malfunctions in their brains. People that kill themselves because they can't talk to anybody about their problems or are too scared of being ostracized for seeking help. People that simply want to wake up go to work, marry the person they love and come home without someone protesting them. And yes, even people with celiacs that just want to go to a restaurant and order something fully knowing the server and the kitchen staff are laughing at them in the back.

Which begs the question: How are we going to get eye to eye on the big things, when we can't even seem to overlook left or right?

(No left handed people were harmed in the making of this blog. For the record: I don't dislike Gingers. many of my best friends are Gingers. I have many Ginger friends. I realize I have Blonde-privilege and I am ok with it. Einstein was left handed, still doesn't mean anything. If you think I am whining about being left handed then you didn't get the point of the blog, and might want to look at that. I very much enjoy being left handed.)