If you have a left-handed person or two in your family, you should be especially nice to them today: August 13th is International Left-Hander’s Day! And if you, yourself, are left-handed, well…let’s raise a toast (with our left hands, of course)! After all, it’s not just anyone who can say they have something in common with Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, Jerry Seinfeld, LeBron James, Lionel Messi, AND Arya Stark!
Settle in and learn some trivia about left-handedness, and check out a book from our favorite lefty authors.
- Do lefties have a better chance at being president? It’s possible! Four of our last six presidents have been left-handed: Gerald Ford, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama. Plus, Ronald Reagan was born left-handed, but learned to write with his right. Start thinking about how you’d like to decorate the oval office!
- While 10-12% of the population is estimated to be left-handed, twins are more likely to be lefties. 21% of twins see one or both sibling favoring their left hand.
- Scientists theorize that genes associated with left-handedness may mitigate a person’s risk for ulcers and arthritis.
- Your favorite dog may very well be a lefty: 50% of dogs favor their left paw!
- Left-handed athletes may have an advantage in sports; it’s entirely possible, since Martina Navratilova, Randy Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Steve Young, Babe Ruth, and Rafael Nadal are lefties. It is thought that right-handed opponents have a tough time anticipating left-handed movements.
If you want to support the left-handed writers of the world, read one of our picks!