This August 13 is National Left Handers’ Day! To all our left-handed Valor students, congrats to having your very own holiday! While left-handed people make only about 10% of the population, they hold some pretty interesting facts that we’re willing to bet you didn’t know! Check them out below.
A few random facts about left-handed people
Fact #1: They might be smarter
A few studies have shown that left-handed people are more likely to have an IQ of 131 or higher. Coincidentally, Isaac Newton, Benjamin Franklin and Albert Einstein were all lefties.
Fact #2: Left handers are also known as “Southpaws”
The term was coined from baseball, as left-handed would pitch “south” of the diamond in order to accommodate for their left hand.
Fact #3: Living in a right-handed world can be tough
Think about it: your scissors are right-handed, your pens are slanted for the right hand, even the words on your favorite mug are printed to show when holding it with your right hand. Plus, writing on a paper or chalkboard is bound to smear for left handers. It’s a right-handed world we live in, and it can be tough for the lefties!
Fact#4: But, Left Handers Can Have the Advantage in Some Sports…And Typing
If you’ve seen the legendary “Rocky” movies, you’ll know that being left handed can have its perks in certain sports. Many boxers are left handed, or become left handed in order to deliver a punch their opponent isn’t used to. Tennis and baseball also can have its perks as a left hander.
Because a large majority of words on the qwerty keyboard are typed solely with the left hand (around 3,000 words with the left hand, but only about 400 with the right), left handers are likely to be faster typers since they’re using their dominant hand.
Fact #5: But there are left-handed tools!
Luckily, companies are catching on! These days, you can purchase scissors, pens and even measuring tape that reads right-to-left to help ease the burden of our left-handed folk.
Fact #6: Nearly half of cats are left-handed
People might be mostly right-hand dominant, but for cats, it’s pretty 50/50. So if you’re a left hander, you can likely find a cat that understands how you feel, since it might just be left-handed too!
Fact #7: Left Handers’ Day started 1976
The holiday started as a way to raise awareness for left handed people and give them a day to shine. Although it started in 1976, it didn’t become an official holiday in the USA until 1992.
Fact #8: Even if you are right-handed, you could have left-handed traits
While chances are, you write and throw a ball with your right hand, you could still have left-handed traits. For example, which eye do you close to see better? Or maybe you use your left hand to cut foods when you’re also holding a fork? You can take this quiz to see how left-handed you are, or try and let Buzzfeed guess in this fun quiz!
If you’re left handed, you can revel in a holiday dedicated just for you this August 13. If you’re right-handed, why not try being left-handed for a day and see what you can accomplish!
- Do you have another fun fact you’d like to add to the list? Share with us in the comments below!
IM LEFT HANDED AND IM PROUD
I’m proud to be left handed