“If the left half of the brain controls the right half of the body then only left-handed people are in the right mind.” – W.C. Fields.
Every August 13, the world marks International Left-Handers Day, a celebration of the roughly 10% of people who navigate daily life in a world designed primarily for right-handers. The observance was first introduced in 1976 by Dean R. Campbell, founder of the Left-Handers Club, to highlight the unique challenges and achievements of left-handers.
Left-handedness has carried an unfair reputation for centuries. In medieval Europe, left-handed individuals were sometimes accused of witchcraft and even burned at the stake. Religious and cultural traditions often favored the right hand, with the “right hand of God” portrayed as virtuous. Even language reflects this bias, the Latin sinister means “left” and has come to mean “evil,” while the French gauche means both “left” and “clumsy.”
Left-handers were once accused of being witches in the Middle Ages. Photo/Courtesy
For generations, left-handed children were forced to switch to using their right hand for writing, sometimes by having their left hand tied behind their backs. A 2007 study in Taiwan found that nearly 60% of naturally left-handed children had been compelled to convert.
In parts of South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, the left hand is still considered unclean, making it culturally inappropriate to eat or pass items with it. In Islamic practice, the left hand is traditionally reserved for personal hygiene.
Men are statistically more likely to be left-handed, with a 2008 meta-analysis showing 23% more male left-handers than female. Research also links left-handedness to a slightly higher risk of migraines, allergies, and autoimmune conditions. However, brain imaging studies reveal that left-handers often have stronger connections between brain hemispheres, particularly in areas related to language and movement, a trait some believe contributes to creativity.
Notable creative left-handers include Leonardo da Vinci, Charlie Chaplin, Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie, and Kurt Cobain. In modern pop culture, The Simpsons creator Matt Groening, a left-hander himself, gave Bart Simpson the same trait.
Several global leaders have been left-handed, including former U.S. presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, U.K. wartime prime minister Winston Churchill, and Britain’s future king, Prince William. Sports legends Rafael Nadal, Lionel Messi, and Sir Paul McCartney also share the trait.
While most animals show no dominant side, kangaroos often favor their left paw for grooming and feeding, and 90% of parrots use their left foot to grasp objects.
Archaeological evidence suggests left-handedness stretches back over 500,000 years to Neanderthals, identified by the direction of wear marks on their teeth from tool use.
International Left-Handers Day serves both as a celebration and a reminder, of the resilience of those who adapt to a right-handed world, and of the creative, athletic, and intellectual contributions left-handers have made throughout history.
Happy International Left-Handers Day!
Written By Rodney Mbua
