Did you know that roughly only twelve percent of the world is left handed? That’s why International Left Handers Day is celebrated on August 13th.

This unique difference in the world’s population is celebrated annually because roughly 87% of the population is right handed.

Are you wondering what International Left-Handers Day is? Why do people celebrate it? When is it? 

Keep reading for everything you need to know about this quirky holiday.

What is Left Handers Day?

This holiday was first celebrated in 1976 and has become a fun way to celebrate the diversity of left-handed people. It also has raised awareness of the difficulty and struggles that come with living in a predominantly right-handed world. 

History of Left Handers Day

Before left-handers were celebrated for their difference, they were ridiculed and stigmatized. Since right-handed people were the world’s majority, left-handers were accused of being possessed by the devil. The word “sinister” is derived from the Latin meaning of “left.” 

During the middle ages, left-handed people were accused of practicing witchcraft. Children who used their left hand dominantly were punished and forced to write with their right hands. This happened well until the late 20th century. 

Today, left-handers aren’t as severely punished or stigmatized for their difference. However, they still encounter difficulties in their day-to-day life, like swiping their credit cards, using scissors, and writing in spiral notebooks.

Other difficult tasks that left-handed people struggle with are using a computer mouse and buttoning a shirt.

Many of the tools we use in our lives cater to right-handed people. Although these aren’t big roadblocks for left-handers, they can be uncomfortable and frustrating to deal with. This is one of the reasons why left-handers day is celebrated. 

In celebration of this holiday, we’ve got a few fun facts for you about left-handed people.

Left Handers Day facts 

Did you know that left-handed people use the right side of their brain more?

The right side of your brain controls the left side of your body. The left side of your brain controls the right side of your body. You may be wondering what the difference is between the two.

The right side of the brain is attributed to the creative side of the brain. There is more focus on creativity, intuition, and imagination. The left side of the brain’s focus is math, logic and analytics.

This is why so many famous left-handed people are known for their creativity! 

Famous Left Handers

Some well-known famous left-handed people are:

  • Baseball Player Babe Ruth
  • Writer Mark Twain 
  • Astronaut Neil Armstrong
  • Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg 
  • Musician Jimi Hendrix
  • Beatles Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney
  • Talk Show Host Oprah Winfrey
  • Actress Marilyn Monroe
  • Artist Leonardo Da Vinci

There are many more famous left-handed people, including actors, artists, inventors, and political figures, including some United States Presidents.

Left handers can be ambidextrous

Did you know that lefties can also be ambidextrous? The term ambidextrous is used to describe a person who can use both sides of their body effectively. In other words, they don’t have a dominant hand. 

This is mainly because left-handers tend to use their right hand to complete tasks with the way everyday tools are designed.

The nickname “southpaw” was coined to describe a left-handed person. The name was used in baseball to describe left-handed pitchers who throw the ball to the south part of the diamond. 

Left Handers Day FAQ

Now that you know a few fun facts about this holiday, let’s go over some frequent questions. There’s quite a bit that still isn’t well-known about Left-Handers Day. 

When Is Left Handers Day?

International Left-Handers Day is celebrated annually on August 13th. The holiday was created in 1976 but didn’t become an official holiday in the United States until 1992.

What Is Left Handers Day?

The main reason to celebrate this holiday is to shine a spotlight on left-handed people. It’s also to bring awareness to the struggles and disadvantages of being left-handed in a world that is right-hand dominant. 

Why is it rare to be left handed?

There’s no single explanation for why some people are left-handed. No one is completely sure why some people are left-handed—there are only theories. Studies have shown it’s mostly a combination of biology, genetics, and the environment of the individual. 

Another explanation may be that it’s trained out of people because of their right-handed environment. It could very well be an evolutionary explanation of survival and cooperation in society. 

How do people celebrate Left Handers Day?

Many right-handed people will try to do tasks with their left hand to see how difficult it can be. Left-handed people celebrate by raising awareness about their difficulties or celebrating their differences and advantages. 

Many social media users use hashtags similar to #LeftHandersDay to spotlight their lives as left-handers.

How can my brand participate in Left Handers Day? 

In the past, companies have celebrated this fun holiday in simple ways. For example, a few years ago, Oreo came out with a limited-edition left-handed package to celebrate.

There are small things you can do to celebrate with your company or brand.

Start with using a hashtag on your social media platforms. Hashtags are a sure way to boost your engagement on social media. 

If it’s possible, create a left-handed edition of your product the way Oreo did and advertise it on your social media. You can also create a graphic or video about Left-Handers Day to celebrate and drive traffic to your page on the holiday.

Or, host trivia games with facts about left-handed people or the holiday itself with prizes or discounts on your product. 

Happy Left-Handers Day

No matter how you choose to celebrate International Left-Handers Day, you can boost your engagement on social media while doing it.

Although this is a small and quirky holiday to celebrate, it’s a wonderful opportunity to celebrate diversity among your employees and customers. It’s also an opportunity to gain exposure on social media for your intended brand, product, or company. 

Social media specialists and social media managers can help you curate social media engagement around days like national Left-Handers Day. With a free trial of Sprout Social, you’ll have everything you need to get started.