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From: aouriri@ittvax.UUCP (Chedley Aouriri)
Newsgroups: net.bio,net.women
Subject: Left vs right brains
Message-ID: <1649@ittvax.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 15-Apr-85 16:49:18 EST
Article-I.D.: ittvax.1649
Posted: Mon Apr 15 16:49:18 1985
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Subject: Re: Shirt buttons
Newsgroups: net.women
References: <1649@decwrl.UUCP>

> This has been bugging me lately...
> 
> Does anyone know why (historically and currently) women's shirts button
> right over left and men's button left over right (or is it vice versa)?
> Why make the thing differently depending on who is supposed to wear it?
> 
> Elizabeth Clayton
> ...decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-satan!clayton
**********************************************************

A possible explanation comes from the biology of the brain. 

The human brain is functionally divided into two lateral parts: The
left part handles mainly the sequential, rational and "scientific"
thoughts, while the right part handles the artistic, emotional
and philosophical thoughts. Schematically speaking, the left
part is the scientific/computer part, while the right part is the
artistic/philosophical part.

Statistically, most WOMEN are RIGHT-BRAINED (ie. the right part of
their brain is more developed than the left part), while most 
MEN are LEFT-BRAINED. Whether this is the result of historical and
socio-cultural conditions of the female gender is a different 
subject/topic.

Because the SYMMETRY of the human nervous system, the left part
of the brain controls the right parts of the human body (arms,
hands, legs..) while the right part of the brain controls the
left body parts.  

Therefore, most women are cleverer with their left hands than
they are with their right hands, which makes it easier
for them to button right-over-left buttons than the other way
around. This is why male shirts are left over right buttoned,
while female shirts are right over left buttoned.

Also, statistically, more women are left-handed than men.