Left Hand- Right Hand

[Daniel]

While casually surfing the web today, I came upon an interesting article on left-handedness.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/technology/technology.html?in_article_id=482155&in_page_id=1965

I'm left-handed, and remember my first grade teacher making a concerted effort to get me to write with the right hand, which I resisted. That said, I found myself throwing a ball with my right hand and drawing with both hands. Ambidexterity? Perhaps. But perhaps more accurately, I found out a few years ago that my own situation may have had more to do with cross-dominance.


cross-dominance
Cross-dominance, also known as mixed-handedness, is a motor skill manifestation where a person favors one hand for some tasks and the other hand for others, though is not necessarily ambidextrous.

It can also refer to mixed laterality, which refers to a person favoring eyes, ears, feet, or hands on opposite sides of the body. Cross-dominance can often be a problem when shooting or in activities that require aim.


I find this whole matter interesting insofar as gay people seem to have a greater degree of left-handedness. At least that's been my observation over the years. And it seems that I'm not the only one who's noticed this.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-100.html

By the way, the ex-gay group Narth has been following this research.

http://www.exgaywatch.com/wp/2006/01/gays-more-likel/

It seems they'll disregard just about anything. :rolleyes:


Ok. Who among us is left-handed? What's been your experience living in a righthanded world? Anything like being gay in a straight world? That said- I once had a guy deride me with a sneer because I wrote out my number for him with my left hand. Go figure.

You'd think gay people would know better.

[BrentRichards]

Have you read David Sedaris's book Me Talk Pretty One Day? Wonderful take on a similar phenomenon ... how students were selected for "speech therapy" in school back in our day ... a concerted effort to stomp out the sibilant 's.' He quips that the sign on the door should not have said "speech therapy" but "Future Homosexuals of America." He's clever but profound at the same time, as usual.

[Daniel]

Have you read David Sedaris's book Me Talk Pretty One Day? Wonderful take on a similar phenomenon ... how students were selected for "speech therapy" in school back in our day ... a concerted effort to stomp out the sibilant 's.' He quips that the sign on the door should not have said "speech therapy" but "Future Homosexuals of America." He's clever but profound at the same time, as usual.


You're the second person to recommend this book in a week. Must be God's Will. Very clever man that Mr. Sedaris.

I did go to speech therapy, but that was after I fell in love with my 4th grade teacher, Mr. Casper. Being in the same room with him made me stammer.

[Pablo Rafael]

I always sort of wanted to be left handed. Always thought "lefties" were special. (Why am I wanting to be in another minority group!? - crazy in the head, I think.) Although I must admit it is easier being in the majority. (Isn't is always?) Left-handed organists have a harder time because the right hand generally has twice as much to do as the left. They can't switch things around like guitarists can.

This article made me think of my grandfather. He was in 1st grade in about 1919. He had his left hand tied behind his back so he couldn't use it. He had the stuttering problem until his second grade teacher said he could use whatever hand he wanted; then his stuttering went away. It is amazing what we teachers do to kids sometimes. :mad:

Thanks, Daniel.

Tu Amigo, Pablo

[Daniel]

This article made me think of my grandfather. He was in 1st grade in about 1919. He had his left hand tied behind his back so he couldn't use it. He had the stuttering problem until his second grade teacher said he could use whatever hand he wanted; then his stuttering went away. It is amazing what we teachers do to kids sometimes. :mad:


Got that right!

Great story.

And you reminded me that I occasionally stammered (around authority figures mainly) until I went to Toronto and had my ears tuned up at the Listening Centre- where they offer a fascinating training based on sound stimulation. In short: this is where I learned that I had an issue with cross-dominance, or as they say, mixed-dominance. In my case, the stammering went away completely when my right ear was trained to 'lead' in the processing of sound.

http://www.listeningcentre.com/

[u-dog]

Got that right!

Great story.

And you reminded me that I occasionally stammered (around authority figures mainly) until I went to Toronto and had my ears tuned up at the Listening Centre- where they offer a fascinating training based on sound stimulation. In short: this is where I learned that I had an issue with cross-dominance, or as they say, mixed-dominance. In my case, the stammering went away completely when my right ear was trained to 'lead' in the processing of sound.

http://www.listeningcentre.com/


Yeah... "Cross-dominance" sounds like men wearing women's leather clothes.

[Daniel]

Yeah... "Cross-dominance" sounds like men wearing women's leather clothes.

Hadn't thought of it that way. But then, you've caught me during a 'serious' moment.

[BrentRichards]

Yeah... "Cross-dominance" sounds like men wearing women's leather clothes.

I'm glad I'm not the only one whose mind travels involuntarily in such random and warped directions ... see my "Greek gymnastics" comment on another thread.

[Daniel]

I'm glad I'm not the only one whose mind travels involuntarily in such random and warped directions ... see my "Greek gymnastics" comment on another thread.

Ok....I'm more awake than when I wrote my last message in this thread.

In the case of the mind bending, what I see is a dominatix with an eye problem. She can't see straight- so to speak.

And Greek boys?.....oh baby...I'll have what you're having.
.

[tdogg]

According to family members, I was born left-handed but forced to use my right hand cause left-handed people weren't 'cool' back in the day.

While I can't write too well with my left (actually don't write too well right-handed either), I can relate to cross-dominance as various tasks are better done either left- or right-handed, depending on the task. My left hand is stronger and more accurate than my right, but I do meticulous tasks better with my right. Other than long-hand writing, my left hand is my more reliable tool overall. Other body parts - I do have tendency to lean a little to my right, but lower body wise, it's pretty well spread evenly to both sides.

My left ear hears better, but that's likely due to exposing my poor organs to very loud music. :eek: My eyes are a nice color, but otherwise leave a lot to be desired when trying to 'see'. :lol:

[u-dog]

Our twins are identical, mirror image twins. One is definately right-handed. The other SHOULD be left-handed but is clearly "mixed dominant" he writes (badly) with his right hand but does a lot of other things left handed.

[tymejumper]

Ok. Who among us is left-handed? What's been your experience living in a righthanded world? Anything like being gay in a straight world?


I am a lefty! I also noticed great portion of lesbians are left handed. Alas, my wife is not! I told her she is still a minority.

When I was 2 years old, my doctor, who was a lefty himself, told my mother to keep handing me my spoon in my right hand. Apparently, I threw such a god awful fit every time she tried to switch me, she gave up. I would throw the spoon, refuse to eat and hold my breath and turn purple.

When my children were born, I kept hoping for a lefty. No such luck though. My son started out a lefty for about 2 years and then suddenly switched to write with his right one. He still acts lefty though, very creative and artsy.