For left-handers, navigating a world largely designed for right-handed people can mean making small adjustments that others may never notice — from finding the right position at a school desk to struggling with everyday objects such as scissors. For some, the experience begins in childhood, when they may even be encouraged to use their right hand instead.
But being left-handed is not something that needs to be “fixed”. For Noor Aiyani Afiqah Suhaili, growing up with these small challenges has instead become a lesson in adapting, finding her own way and accepting that using her left hand is simply part of who she is.
Here, she shares what it was like growing up left-handed and the little things right-handers may never have had to think about.
Growing up, did anyone ever ask you to use your right hand instead?
Yes, they did. When I was young, there were people who asked me to use my right hand, particularly when writing or eating, because it was considered more appropriate.
At the time, I felt rather confused and a little uncomfortable because I was naturally more comfortable using my left hand. Sometimes, it felt as though I was doing something “wrong”, even though using my left hand felt completely normal to me.
Did you ever feel “different” from your classmates because you were left-handed?
Yes, I did. I still remember writing in class and noticing that the position of my hand was quite different from that of my classmates.
Sometimes, my hand would bump into the hand or books of the classmate sitting next to me, especially when I was writing with my left hand. It might seem like a small and insignificant thing, but when you are young, little moments like that can make you more aware of how different you are from the people around you.
It made me realise that while everyone was doing the same activity, I sometimes had to find my own way of doing it.
What is one ordinary thing in everyday life that right-handed people may not realise can be difficult or uncomfortable for left-handers?
For me, using scissors is one of the most noticeable things. Most scissors are designed for right-handed users, so using them with the left hand can sometimes feel uncomfortable and make cutting less precise.
School desks with the writing board on the right side can also be uncomfortable, as I have to adjust the position of my hand and body.
After using your left hand throughout your life, do you see being left-handed as a disadvantage, an advantage, or something that has made you more adaptable?
For me, it is not a disadvantage, but I see it as something that has made me more adaptable instead.
Since I was young, I have been used to dealing with objects and situations that are mostly designed for right-handed users. Because of that, I have naturally learned to find my own ways of doing things and adjust to different situations.
Perhaps I became so used to adapting that it eventually became second nature. I don’t really see it as something that holds me back anymore. For me, being left-handed is simply part of who I am. It is not something that needs to be changed.
If you could redesign one everyday object specifically for left-handed users, what would it be?
I would redesign scissors specifically for left-handed users. I would make sure the handles, blade positioning and cutting direction were all designed to make them more comfortable and precise when used with the left hand. I might even create a design that could be used comfortably with either hand, making it more flexible for everyone. For me, the most important thing is that left-handed users should not always have to be the ones adapting. We spend so much of our lives adjusting ourselves to objects designed for right-handed people that
