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Left-Handers Day: Surprising Facts About Being Left-Handed

Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

International Left-Handers Day is August 13, a day celebrating the 10 to 12 percent of people worldwide who favor their left hand. Discover surprising left-handed facts, history, and folklore—from old superstitions to the science behind handedness.

Years ago, some teachers insisted that all students, including left-handers, learn to write with their right hand. Teachers thought that students would have an easier time if they were not “different” from right-handed writers. Some thought that using the left hand was just a bad habit. Some even slapped or punished left-handed kids who had trouble!

left-hander facts

Now we know that everyone should use whichever hand is most comfortable. Today, 10 to 12 percent of the world’s population is left-handed. It’s not surprising that lefties sometimes feel “left out.” Plenty of superstitions and odd terms regarding left-handedness exist.

Left-Hander Superstitions and Terms

  • Sinistrophobia is the fear of left-handedness or things on the left side.
  • Many people believe that the devil is left-handed.
  • The Latin word for left, sinister, also means unlucky, evil, and suspicious.
  • The French word for left, gauche, also means clumsy.
  • A left-handed compliment is an insult.
  • It is believed that all polar bears are left-handed.
  • A left-handed baseball pitcher is called a southpaw. (And no, there’s no such thing as a northpaw!)

Why Are Some People Left-handed and Others Right-handed?

Scientists aren’t sure what causes left-handedness. Genetics plays a role, but it’s not the whole story. For example, identical twins have the same DNA, but it is common for one twin to be right-handed and the other to be left-handed.

Many left-handers have a symmetrical brain, meaning that the left and right portions of their brain are shaped alike. Right-handers often have an asymmetrical brain: The left cerebral hemisphere is often larger than the right cerebral hemisphere.

pinky promise left hand facts

No matter the shape of your brain or the hand you favor, here’s what we have—um—left:

Left-handed Facts and Trivia

The Left Test

There’s no sure way to measure “handedness.” One of the most widely used tests is called the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory (developed in Edinburgh, Scotland, in the 1970s). This test asks participants which hand they most often use for a series of activities, including writing, eating, drawing, throwing, cutting with scissors, brushing teeth, and unscrewing a lid.

Left-handed Burgers? Baloney!

A full-page ad in USA Today in 1998 claimed that Burger King had developed the “left-handed Whopper.” The burger had the same fixings, but they were turned 180 degrees so that they wouldn’t drip out on left-handed customers. It was a joke! The ad ran on April 1 (April Fools’ Day).

Lefties Day

August 13 is International Left-Handers Day! The tradition was started by the Left-Handers Club, a group in the United Kingdom. Club members around the world give interviews and play left-handed games.

left handed facts folklore

Left-hander Heaven?

Lefties might want to travel to Left Hand, West Virginia, where there is a church, a school, and a post office. The village was so named because it sits on the left-hand fork of the Big Sandy River, not because of the way its citizens write.

Left-handed Reward

A few left-handers attending Juniata College in Pennsylvania have benefited from a scholarship just for left-handers established in 1979 by Mary and Frederick Beckley, two left-handers who met when they attended tennis class together in 1919.

If you’re right-handed, try writing with your left. If you’re left-handed, try brushing your teeth with your right. You’re likely to find these activities surprisingly difficult.

So, tell us below if you are a lefty or righty and what you’ve observed about this phenomenon called handedness!

Amusements

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann is the Executive Digital Editor of Almanac.com, the digital home of The Old Farmer’s Almanac. She leads digital editorial strategy and publishing across a wide range of Almanac sub...

Read more from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<span>Alvin</span> Sun, 08/13/2023 - 13:47
At school they would always try to put me at a left handed desk but I couldn’t write worth anything, I learned how to write upside down so as not to smear at a right handed desk
<span>Ann</span> Sun, 08/13/2023 - 11:47
I'm a lefty, when I was a child I used to watch my mother cut out patterns to sew. She was a lefty but was forced to use her right hand. She let me help cut out the patterns and I learned to do this right handed. In school i was always given left handed scissors and couldnt use them. As an adult i taught myself to use the mouse with the right. This helped with grabbing the phone with the left while navigating the computer.
<span>Ray Saxman</span> Sun, 08/13/2023 - 11:11
I guess I`m just kinda ambidextrous .........LEFT: write, eat, toothbrush, hammer, (L&R) and most small tasks.........RIGHT: throw, hammer (L&R), bat, screwdriver, dominate right eye (shooting a weapon). My Grandparents raised me and along with my teachers never tried to make me change. I`m glad about that!!
<span>Liz</span> Sun, 08/13/2023 - 11:06
I'm a lefty, so is my son and brother. I also have several friends and family members that are lefty.
<span>Sara</span> Sun, 08/13/2023 - 10:39
I’m here to join the lefty’s club, lol. When I was in kindergarten, my teacher and my mom both tried so hard to make me a righty, but nothing stuck. Finally, my aunt turned a page I was writing on to the right, just enough, that I was able to write with out getting ink, etc all over my hand. I still can’t thank her enough for that. For baseball, I can hit both righty and lefty but my coach would always want me to bat as a lefty because it always threw off pitcher. Everything else, I stick with the left.
<span>Timothy</span> Sun, 08/13/2023 - 21:57
yes i've had this afliction for 78 years , i like many others that was forced to switch from left to right well it didn't work and i don't have a problem being a lefty, have a great day and life. Timotheo.
<span>Judith Goodnow</span> Sun, 08/13/2023 - 10:19
Here’s to us lefties! I remember in the 2nd grade, my teacher turned the paper tipped towards the right slightly, and showed me how to hold my pencil correctly. Most lefties turn their wrist inward to write. Thus there is an ink mark all down their pinkie. I can play racquetball, mini golf & crochet with my right hand. When in Dental Hygiene school in the early 70s, there were no lefty Hygienists, so, I had to mirror write with my right hand every night for weeks. I even have left scissors!
<span>Barbara</span> Sun, 08/13/2023 - 10:32
I’m a lefty and I cannot use left handed scissors. Mostly left but sweep, golf, and bat right handed.
<span>Kim</span> Sun, 08/13/2023 - 09:59
I am a lefty, most tasks are done with my left, but for some reason I can only bowl with my right hand...I have tried numerous times to try left, for which I would have better lane conditions, but cannot...but my footing goes left....if this makes any sense...but have carried a 170 average had had some great games.
<span>Sharon Elaine Eoff</span> Sun, 08/13/2023 - 08:44
Yay Lefties. I am left handed and my Mother had to go to school when I started kindergarten and tell the teacher and principle to leave me alone and let me use my left hand. I throw a ball with my right hand and use the mouse on the computer with my right hand, I think that is because that is how my brother taught me. :D