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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>Monica</span> Sat, 08/13/2022 - 09:49
My husband and I are right handed. Our first 2 of four children are left handed. Our first born, left handed son, now has a left handed first born son. Always wondered if it was hereditary.
<span>Jim</span> Sat, 08/13/2022 - 09:30
Had the tip of my right index finger cut off a 18 months old. Have always been mostly right handed except...played baseball..bat lefthanded,pitch righthanded. Wear contact lens.. insert/remove with my left hand. I am right master eyed. Ha!Ha!
<span>Karen</span> Sat, 08/13/2022 - 09:23
My mom was one of those people whose knuckles were rapped for using her left hand. When my Bro a solid left hander started school the same was tried but mom intervened. Not sure what she did but knowing her temper I shudder. 😉I am right hand dominant but have some left handed qui rks. Holding a baseball bat. A Broom even a guitar. Go figure
<span>Sheri</span> Sat, 08/13/2022 - 10:00
I too had my hand slapped for being a leftie until I told my dad who was also a leftie he told the teacher if she continued to slap my hand that he would slap her as well. After I had no problems...
<span>Rononpi</span> Sat, 08/13/2022 - 09:20
Being left handed means that you always get to sit at the end of the table.
<span>Cathie</span> Sat, 08/13/2022 - 08:33
Lefties and their friends should all celebrate today at the Left Hand Brewery in Longmont Colorado. Brewery is named in honor of Chief Niwot (the Arapahoe word for "left hand") whose tribe wintered in the local area. https://www.lefthandbrewing.com/
<span>Denise Swett</span> Sat, 08/13/2022 - 08:32
I'm ambidextrous, I write on paper and eat with my left hand. I write on a chalkboard and do most everything else with my right hand. I had my left shoulder pulled out of place when I was seven, just when I was learning to write. So I guess that makes me even more different, but I don't mind. I've always been an odd duck.
<span>Susan</span> Sat, 08/13/2022 - 08:21
I eat, write, draw, and brush my teeth left handed. Everything else I do right handed.
<span>Allyssa</span> Sat, 08/13/2022 - 08:06
My dad was a lefty forced to be right handed. I am ambidextrous. I write equally bad with both hands.(Thanks to ballet pre-pointe exercises, I can also write equally badly with my feet!) I do certain things only with my right hand and other things only with my left hand. I didn't notice this until I out the twisty on bread and drove my parents nuts.🤣😂🤣
<span>Carol</span> Sat, 08/13/2022 - 07:55
You "left" out some additional facts about Gifted left-handers! We are far more creative than righties by average, we tend to eat things on our plates one at a time. Many of us have more use of our right hands because for years things were built for righties, the old butter knives, potato peelers, scissors, it was a long list and of course, we mastered those things requiring our right hands, because we are also more adaptable, and quick learners!