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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>Rosemary Budgell</span> Sat, 08/13/2016 - 10:53
I use both hands but predominately use my left. I have been irritated over the years by common items clearly designed for right handers. A couple of examples, a deck of cards. If a lefty were to pick up a hand of cards for the first time, the left thumb would fan them and there are no numbers or letters showing on the right edge of the cards. The user would see blank edges. Door knobs! Many times over my lifetime, i have reached for a door knob with my left hand, turn the the knob instinctively to the left only to turn my hand into the door jam and bang my fingers or hand. Door knobs have been designed to turn to the right mostly. Those can openers from years ago that were metal and the cutting piece had to be lifted for the tip to cut the can. Never was able to operate one of those and have met other lefties who could not either. Just a couple of things over the years I have noticed. I could go on but others have stories to tell. Happy Left Handers Day~
<span>Linda</span> Sat, 08/13/2016 - 10:38
Like many, my grandmother was lefthanded, but grew up in a time when it wasn't permitted. Neither of my parents is a lefty, but of three kids, two of us are lefthanded. The third is jealous. Living in a righthanded world, it has always seemed to me that lefthanders are (have to be) much more adaptable than righties. Did anyone else find it annoying to be asked "how do you DO that with your left hand?" The same way you do it with your right. What kind of a question is that?
<span>Sheila M Jepsen</span> Sat, 08/13/2016 - 10:15
I write left handed but do everything else right handed
<span>Noah Stucker</span> Sat, 08/13/2016 - 10:10
I write and throw a ball left handed. Most everything else, just depends on which hand I pick it up with, but mostly left dominate. Altho right eye dominate, so shoot right handed.
<span>Krista Morisen</span> Sat, 08/13/2016 - 11:13
I found that I have no dominant eye, which is fun actually. I can shoot with both hands with almost the same accuracy too.
<span>Beth Scott Up</span> Sat, 08/13/2016 - 09:49
I am a right hander. I use my left for turning on or taking lids off. Counting money,dealing cards. Using a baseball bat. Using my right hand for these i can not do. My grandpa was left handed was changed by teachers to right hand. My brother and his daughter are left handed.
<span>Kathy Shelton</span> Sat, 08/13/2016 - 09:42
I haven't tried it in years, but I used to be able to simultaneously write forward with my left hand and backward with my right hand.
<span>Jonathan</span> Sat, 08/13/2016 - 09:24
I refer to myself as a "...Catholic trained righty..."
<span>Lynne Piepkorn</span> Sat, 08/13/2016 - 09:17
One thing that continues to be a problem is sitting and eating at the table. Sit next to a right handed person and they throw their elbow out so lefties have to tuck in their elbow to eat. Makes me mad so I always try to sit on the left side of the end table.
<span>M Dennis Farr</span> Mon, 08/17/2015 - 23:28
I am so right handed I am an embarrassment to my left handed and left minded daughter. My left hand is decoration, therefore it serves the purpose of supporting my wedding band. It does come in handy when performing tasks involving tools...that requires holding the workpiece in place while shaping, sawing, drilling or screwing things together. While playing in baseball as a teenager...and actually until my early forties...I claimed to be a switch hitter. I could hit the ball further left handed than right-handed...but struck out 98% of the time left handed. I was finally handed my walking papers from the game of baseball. As after all this..I just realized I am holding my cell phone in my left hand while working the keyboard..you guessed it...with my right hand. Maybe I am partially ambidextrous.