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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>Jo Ann</span> Tue, 08/13/2024 - 10:12
Being Left handed is great. A lot of intelligent people are! Besides only Left handed people are in their right minds.
<span>Patsy R Hoffpauir</span> Thu, 08/13/2026 - 14:15
I am left handed but I cannot work an adding machine with my left hand. I have to use my right hand for an adding machine.
<span>Karen N</span> Tue, 08/13/2024 - 10:08
I am old enough to be one of many that teachers tried to "change" me to being right-handed. As a result, I am ambidextrous - still able to write (like a 3rd grader) with my right hand. And I use whichever hand is "handier" when needed. However, I am way more left-handed than right-handed.
<span>Rochelle Marshall</span> Thu, 05/15/2025 - 23:11
My dear, you are "same-handed". Just a subtle difference of "ambidextrous". "Ambidextrous" is perform all task equally well. "Same-handed" is a bit willi-nilly.
<span>Don Marks</span> Tue, 08/13/2024 - 09:18
As an ex-Pharmacist (retired!) and dealing with people I explain to those that need to know that we all have two hands, one is a holding hand and one is a doing hand. One holds the fork while the other cuts the food, one holds the paper while the other does the writing, one holds the tube of cream while the other puts the cream on the wound etc. As you can see if there’s not much doing then that can be done by either hand.
<span>Jennifer Kohn Murtha</span> Tue, 08/13/2024 - 09:07
I'm a left handed portrait artist. My father was a leftie, but changed in school as so many were back in the thirties and even later. I draw and paint and write with my left hand but if I want some less-detailed work in my paintings, I paint with my right hand. And, I don't switch my fork and knife when I'm cutting food. I like being left handed. I'm in the company of great lefties in the art world. Who could complain about that?
<span>Anna M Ledington</span> Tue, 08/13/2024 - 09:04
Born a righty, I found out that I can switch hit in softball, sometimes doing better left-hand. I bowl and shoot pool left-hand. My youngest sister (art teacher) writes with one hand and paints with the other, eats left, throws\serves ball left, but does a couple things right. Found out that both our grandpas were left, as well as numerous other relatives in family tree. I was part of the late generation of Catholic kids that nuns tried to 'switch'. Didn't work on my same age cousin. Lol
<span>Sharron Biccum</span> Tue, 08/13/2024 - 09:39
I’m a leftie. When young went to a catholic school when the nuns thought lefthanders were ruled by the devil. They tried to change my left handeness Was hit with a ruler,was made to stand at the blackboard printing that left handeness was caused by the devil using my right hand was made to stand in the corner. I’m still left handed.
<span>Linda Hennessey</span> Tue, 08/13/2024 - 08:31
I'm a leftie. As a child, I learned from my brother, who is right handed, how to play baseball. He taught me to swing the bat as a right hander does. Now, as an adult, I can only swing a bat, or play golf as a right hander-can't do it as a leftie. All other things I do, I do as a leftie.
<span>Becky</span> Tue, 08/13/2024 - 08:20
I’m a lefty that only does certain things like eat and write with my left hand (and brush my teeth!)! All sports are right handed. However, I can do many things equally with both hands like wall painting or gardening!