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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>Roddy Camper</span> Sun, 07/03/2022 - 17:37
Hello Patricia, you are a fighter! That is one of the signs of a left hander! Back in the 1500 and 1600, lefties were considered witches. Remember the Salem witch trials, 10's of thousands of lefties were burned at the stake just for using their left hand. This fear carried well past the 1900 and into the 21st century. Don't blame the elders, they were doing what they thought was right. Stay left Patricia!
<span>Marty</span> Sun, 08/15/2021 - 08:57
My father, younger brother and I have curly hair and are left handed, my mother, older sister and brother have straight hair and are right handed. The only thing I do right handed is navigate with a computer mouse and cannot master that activity left handed! I do not cock my hand around when writing, my hand position is the same as a right handed.
<span>Roddy Camper</span> Sun, 07/03/2022 - 17:45
Hello Marty, it is not so much the curly hair, it is more of the direction of the whorl. Right handers mostly have a clockwise spiral much like a hurricane. Whereas, lefties have a counter-clockwise spiral 50% of the time. Nothing is perfect except for Jesus (who was also a lefty)! I also do everything left sided, meaning left hand, left leg, left eye and left ear. As for your writing style, my guess would be that you were not forced to sit in those right-handed only desks in school. I had them throughout and yes, my back hurts to this day. Keep fighting the good fight as I will keep working for you! Look at my website www.leftyrightsclub.org and let me know what you think! Roddy
<span>Ada Avery</span> Sat, 08/14/2021 - 15:30
I was always right handed but 5 years or so I developed a tremor in my right hand and cannot write with it or do much else with it as it shakes so bad. I have now learned to do most things with my left hand - including writing. (I'm 80 yrs. old now)
<span>Roddy Camper</span> Sun, 07/03/2022 - 17:58
Great job overcoming your adversity! Keep fighting the good fight!
<span>Wini Worley</span> Sat, 08/14/2021 - 15:25
I still have marks on my left hand from a Nun when I was 5 years old I am now 75. My Mom finally put me in public school. I won a handwriting contest in 4th grade…
<span>Roddy Camper</span> Sun, 07/03/2022 - 18:01
Great job Wini on the handwriting contest. Back in that age nuns and teachers were still afraid of lefties being witches. People are afraid of what they cannot understand. Keep fighting the good fight and I will do the same. Check out my website if you would like to learn more about left handedness. www.leftyrightsclub.org. Roddy
<span>Sharon Linville</span> Fri, 08/13/2021 - 23:33
I do everything left handed except deal cards. My mother said When I was learning to use a spoon she would put it in my right hand and I would drop it. After several attempts she decided I was left handed. One of my uncles was a lefty but the schools made him change by rapping his knuckles with a ruler. When I started kindergarten my mother told the teachers not to try to change me. Thanks Mom.
<span>Roddy Camper</span> Sun, 07/03/2022 - 18:47
Sharon, your mother is AWESOME!!! Sorry to hear about your Uncle. The belief back in the 1500 to 1600's was that all lefties were witches. That stigma stuck around into the 21st century. I feel it's almost over. We will see. Roddy
<span>Sherri</span> Fri, 08/13/2021 - 16:51
One of the most amazing things I have ever witnessed was a police officer I waited on for breakfast signed his name with both his left hand and right hand AT THE SAME TIME!! Never to this day have I ever seen anyone else able to do this! I have also noticed that a majority of people on TV, celebs, presidents, TV personalities are left handed. I am not, I am just observant :)