Left-Hander's Day: August 13

Left-Handers Day

After another year of scissors, desks, notebooks, coffee mugs, and more being seemingly pitted against lefties, the day has finally come to celebrate them! If you’re a lefty in a righty’s world, remember that you are not alone. Angelina Jolie, Prince William, President Obama, Jerry Seinfeld, Bill Clinton, Lady Gaga, Jay Leno, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and many other well-known and successful people are left-handed! There is hope for us all!

The Old Farmer’s Almanac for Kids, Volume 5, suggests a fun way for kids to celebrate this holiday:

Survey family or friends who are lefties (even if you are, too) and make a list of the difficulties that left-handed people experience doing everyday things. Based on your information, design a tool for a left-hander. Possibilities for new designs include scissors, a mug, a computer keyboard, a pencil sharpener, and a can opener. Make a drawing of your design or build a model.

Check out these fun bits of info from holidayinsights.com:

• Sinistrophobia is the fear of left-handedness or things on the left side.
• While many people are left-handed, very few are 100% left-handed. For example, many left-handers golf and bat right-handed. On the other hand, there is a high percentage of righties who are 100% right-handed.
• Lefties are also called “southpaws.” The term was coined in baseball to describe a left-handed pitcher.
• Only about 10% of the population is left-handed.
• During the 1600s, people thought that left-handers were witches and warlocks.
• International Left-Handers Day was first celebrated on August 13, 1976. It was started by Left-handers International.
• It is believed that all polar bears are left-handed.
• Think about it: Everyone is a left-hander in Left Hand, West Virginia!
• Explore more great facts and folklore about being left-handed.