By Alhaji Haruna Sani
Left-handers in Sierra Leone face discrimination despite being just as capable as right-handers. What steps can society take to address this?
Aminata Sheriff was born into a devout family—her father, an Arabic cleric, and her mother deeply absorbed in religious traditions. But for Aminata, one aspect of her life stands out—and not in a way that is celebrated: she was born left-handed.
Preparing food; Aminata is now marriage with a child, but faces little or no challenges by her husband for being lefthander.
“I didn’t even know it was a mistake until I was about seven,” Aminata tells Concord Times, in an exclusive interview. “That’s when my father started punishing me for using my left hand instead of my right,” she adds, an ironic smile masking her pain.
As Aminata grew older, her mother withheld cooking lessons, citing the belief that food prepared with the left hand is impure.
Aminata’s experience is not unique. In many religious and traditional homes across Sierra Leone, left-handed children are forced to conform to societal beliefs, enduring punishment and stigma. Left-handedness is often deemed forbidden by cultural and religious teachings.
Her story provides a window into the broader challenges faced by left-handers in Sierra Leone—a life shaped by centuries of stigma and marginalization. From early religious teachings to daily inconveniences, left-handers navigate a world designed for right-handers, where their natural tendencies are met with resistance and rejection.
Biology, not a curse
Humans are not the only species that exhibit left-handedness. A recent meta-analysis of paw preferences in cats and dogs revealed that 36 percent to 46 percent of cats are left-pawed, suggesting that left-handedness is biological—not a curse, as many traditional and religious beliefs suggest.
Unlike cats and dogs, however, humans often experience significant social discomfort due to their left-handedness, including rejection in various areas. Despite these impediments, many left-handers have risen to the pinnacle of their careers.
Icons with a left-hand
Presidents Barack Obama
David Cameron
Benjamin Netanyahu
and football icon Lionel Messi were all left-handers.
Notable left-handers include physicists Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton; the quintessential Renaissance man, Leonardo da Vinci; world leaders like the late Queen Victoria, Benjamin Netanyahu, Barack Obama, and David Cameron, football icon Lionel Messi; and media mogul Oprah Winfrey.
In Sierra Leone, prominent left-handers include the late presidents Ahmed Tejan Kabbah and Siaka Stevens, as well as former president Ernest Bai Koroma.
Late Presidents Siaka Stevens
Ahmed Tejan Kabba
and former President Ernest Koroma were all left handers.
Did you know that left-handers often excel in sports? Experts suggest that their actions are less predictable to opponents, giving them a competitive edge. This advantage is particularly pronounced in interactive ball and combat sports.
A 2019 Basque study on world-class water polo players found that opponents expecting a right-handed move were often caught off guard by left-handed tactics. Similar advantages have been documented in boxing, tennis, and football.
Left-handers in Sierra Leone
Despite these strengths, left-handers in Sierra Leone are rarely celebrated. Instead, they are often excluded from opportunities to showcase their talents, weighed down by social stigmas and restrictive norms.
Aminata recalls the shame she felt when her left-handedness was seen as a flaw rather than a unique trait. “I just want to be accepted for who I am,” she says. “Being left-handed isn’t a flaw; it’s part of me.”
“My eldest sister owns a sharp, special needle she uses to pierce my left hand whenever she catches me using it, especially while preparing food,” Aminata recalled, her voice tinted with lingering pain.
As she slices the potato leaves with her left hand, Aminata gaze softened, but her memories remained vivid. “Once, my sister’s mother-in-law visited from the village. When she realized I used my left hand to prepare the food, she outright rejected it, calling it a taboo.”
The stigma extends to education as well. Left-handed students struggle in classrooms designed for right-handers. In many schools, desks and other pedagogical tools hinder their performance and erode their confidence, reinforcing the false belief that left-handers are somehow less capable than those who use their right hands.
“The rejections we face prevent us from even coming forward to compete in the first place,” says Umaru Brima. “In my class, I have to shift my desk to use it, which looks awkward, and my classmates mock me for that.”
It’s not just the classrooms; many everyday items such as scissors, desks, computer mice, kitchen tools and sports equipment are predominantly designed for right-handed use, causing discomfort and inefficiency for left-handers. Additionally, industrial tools, machinery, and vehicles often fail to account for left-handed users, increasing the risk of accidents and limiting accessibility.
From stigma to strength
Despite these challenges, left-handers continue to prove that their differences are strengths. From artistic talents like music, painting, and writing to athletic prowess, left-handers enrich society with unique perspectives and skills.
Historical figures like Leonardo da Vinci, Pablo Picasso, and Jimi Hendrix exemplify the creative genius often associated with left-handers. In sports, legends like Rafael Nadal and Lionel Messi demonstrate the tactical advantages of being left-handed.
Left-handers comprise about 10% of the global population, yet they face unique challenges in societies designed predominantly for right-handers. Everyday tools, educational practices, and even industrial machinery often exclude left-handers, limiting their ability to participate fully and equitably.
Addressing the challenges
Addressing the challenges faced by left-handers requires practical solutions and a firm commitment to inclusivity. First, designing tools, furniture and systems that cater to all handedness will break down barriers and unlock the full potential of left-handers to contribute meaningfully to society. Governments and companies can incentivize such innovations to accelerate the adoption of inclusive designs.
Second, teachers should be trained to accommodate left-handed students. This includes providing left-handed desks, writing tools, and teaching methods tailored to their needs, creating an equitable learning environment.
Third, public initiatives should focus on challenging stereotypes about left-handedness and promoting an understanding of its normalcy and strengths. These campaigns can help dispel misconceptions and foster acceptance.
Fourth, governments should incorporate left-handed considerations into safety regulations and accessibility standards for workplaces, schools, and public spaces. This will ensure that left-handers can navigate their environments safely and comfortably.
Aminata suggests raising awareness about societal discrimination and stigmatization toward left-handers and actively combating these biases. She adds: “We need to build a world where many of us left-handers don’t feel discriminated against.”
