International Lefthanders Day 2023: Date, History, Facts, Activities

What would it be like to view the universe from a “left-handed” perspective? On August 13, International Lefthanders Day, you have a day to investigate this world. Did you know that left-handedness was shared by Presidents Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama? Rock out with Paul McCartney or Jimi Hendrix, the best left-handed guitarist in the world. (Stevie Ray Vaughan, who was born right-handed, taught himself to play left-handed guitar like his idol, Jimi Hendrix). There are also left-handed Oprah Winfrey, Julia Roberts, and Lady Gaga. There were two legendary southpaws in baseball: Babe Ruth and Sandy Koufax.

International Lefthanders Day honours the uniqueness and distinction of left-handed people. Dean R. Campbell, proprietor of Lefthanders International, Inc., established this day in 1976. Therefore, if you are left-handed, take your left-handed cup and raise a glass to all left-handed people worldwide!

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The background of International Lefthanders Day

In a world dominated by right-handers, International Lefthanders Day on August 13 honours left-handed people and raises awareness about the challenges they confront on a daily basis. Since Dean R. Campbell, the proprietor of Lefthanders International, Inc., first observed the day in 1976, it has been celebrated annually. From the 1600s, when it was believed that left-handed people were in league with the devil, to the present day, they continue to encounter difficulties and challenges in completing tasks.

The Left-Handers Club was founded in 1990 with the mission of keeping members informed of developments and serving as a conduit between left-handed individuals and manufacturers. In addition to providing assistance to those in need, the association continually conducts research on left-handedness and new products that make left-handedness easier to use. Since the club’s inception, the number of participants from all over the globe has been growing. Currently, the organisation is highly esteemed as a pressure group representing all left-handed individuals.

On August 13, 1992, the Left-Handers Club established International Lefthanders Day as part of their organisation, continuing the tradition established by Campbell. The objective was to raise awareness of the benefits and drawbacks of left-handedness. The holiday is now celebrated globally, with 20 regional sporting events and celebrations taking place in the United Kingdom alone to mark the occasion. Mother Teresa, Barack Obama, Walt Disney, Bill Gates, Charlie Chaplin, Mark Zuckerberg, and Albert Einstein, to mention a few of history’s greatest left-handed individuals.

Activities on International Lefthanders Day

More socialise

Spread the word about this special day honouring lefties. Or, join one of the numerous left-handed social groups on your preferred social media sites. Lefties are ubiquitous!

Instruct a right-hander

If you are left-handed, guide a right-handed person through a common activity to illustrate some of the challenges left-handed people experience.

Host a bash!

Invite all your left-handed acquaintances over and discuss what it was like for them to grow up in a world designed for right-handed people.

5 LEFTY FACTS THAT WILL MAKE THE RIGHTIES GO “HMMM”

14 of the top 20 highest career batting averages in Major League Baseball are held by left-handed batters, per the Baseball Reference website.

According to a 2013 Yale study, individuals with psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia, are more likely to be left-handed than those with depression.

For instance, the adjective “sinister” derives from the Latin phrase “sinestra” or “left hand.”

Left-handed individuals may suffer from periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD), which causes them to motion their arms and legs while sleeping.

According to neuroscientists, approximately 98 percent of right-handers and 70 percent of left-handers are left-brained.

INTERNATIONAL LEFTHANDERS DAY DATES