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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 - 18:51
Sherri, that is pretty awesome to be able to write with both hands equally at the same time. I believe we all should be able to do this if we were in balanced harmony within our brain. YES, lots of actor and actresses are lefties. Probably due to the holistic effect of the right hemisphere. Thank you for sharing. Roddy
<span>Mike Purcell</span> Fri, 08/13/2021 - 16:15
My mother was in the age of having been forced to be converted to right handed penmanship.Her side of the family is where my color blindness also came from.I have come up with an idea as to why so few people are left handed. Orighinally God made everyone left handed. Then when you sined him made you right handed. Those of us who are still left handed just haven't been caught yet!!!
<span>Roddy Camper</span> Sun, 07/03/2022 - 18:57
Hi Mike. I feel for your mom as my mom had the same issue. Even the psychologist back then told parents to convert your child. Even the famous one, Freud. LOL on everyone being left handed. God did make us, however he knew we needed balance as the left handers help more with creativity and holistic vision, God knew the majority of the world could not handle all of these leaders. We really do need balance and now with the newly discovered gene that states we should be closer to 25%, maybe we can grow our numbers and show the world what they have been missing. Roddy
<span>Mike Purcell</span> Fri, 08/13/2021 - 16:15
My mother was in the age of having been forced to be converted to right handed penmanship.Her side of the family is where my color blindness also came from.I have come up with an idea as to why so few people are left handed. Orighinally God made everyone left handed. Then when you sined him made you right handed. Those of us who are still left handed just haven't been caught yet!!!
<span>Sher</span> Fri, 08/13/2021 - 16:14
Forgot to mention - I am doing my family genealogy and believe it or not, I've found the ancestor who passed on the left handedness to all of us. Thanks Great, great, great Grandad!
<span>Sher</span> Fri, 08/13/2021 - 16:11
Like Steve, my brother and I were forced to use our right hand since kindergarten. I love the smell of scotch tape to this day, as the teacher used to wrap my left fingers all together with scotch tape so I couldn't use them. When that didn't work she tied my hand behind me. I'm no good at math and I think it's because they forced me to change from right brained to left brained. My brother is the same way. He nearly failed every grade because he too was forced to change which side of the brain he used - righties use the left side of the brain while lefties use the right side. Changing hands to do things really screws with your little gray cells! I too am fairly ambidextrous.
<span>Len</span> Sat, 08/13/2022 - 10:18
Which proves “lefties” are the only ones in their right mind
<span>Roddy Camper</span> Sun, 07/03/2022 - 19:06
Hello Sher. Great job on tracking down your left handed ancestor. Sorry to hear about you and your brother. Back in the day, catholic nuns, psychologist and many teachers felt that left handers were still witches and/or cursed by a witch. People are afraid of what they don't understand. Much like the Dr. Seuss, I guess we are the Star-belly Sneetches. As for left brained versus right brained, that theory is not exactly correct. Most of the speech comes from the left hemisphere, however the more dominant you are left, the more you cross over to the right hemisphere. I am dominant in all four categories: hand and arms, feet and legs, eyes, and ears. I am a heavy divergent thinker. When you get a chance, check out my website, www.leftyrightsclub.org. I think you will like what I have found over the years to benefit lefties. Roddy
<span>Elizabeth</span> Sat, 08/13/2022 - 09:09
I am a true lefties. I pretty much do everything with my left hand. Eat, write, pitch, catch, brush my teeth and hair, cook. The only thing I have to do with my right hand is the mouse on the computer and it feels odd. I love being a lefties, my twin is a rightie and we are faturnal twins but we are both girls.
<span>Donna R Johnso…</span> Fri, 08/13/2021 - 15:25
I am right-handed although I can do a lot of things left-handed as well as right-handed. About 5 years ago I had to have a total joint replacement of my right shoulder (in hospital 24 hours and then home) I quickly learned it is very difficult to wipe off (your behind) with your left hand if you're right-handed.