International Lefthanders Day 2024: History, Significance, Celebrations

International Lefthanders Day is celebrated every year on August 13. On this day, the world unites to honour the unique traits, challenges, and contributions of left-handed individuals across the globe. Given that we are used to seeing the world from a spectrum view of right-handers, being a left-handed individual can be tricky and frustrating sometimes. International Lefthanders Day lets you embrace your ‘Left-handed’ point of view and ways of seeing the world for a day. However, you might first want to explore the blog and find out more about its history, significance, and some interesting facts about lefties. 

Name of the day	International Lefthanders Day
Observed on	August 13
Reason	To acknowledge the unique challenges faced by left-handed individuals.

History of International Lefthanders Day

The annual celebration of the International Lefthanders Day is truly one of a kind. Here is how it all began in the first place:

• On 13th August 1992, the Left-Handers Club established the annual event of International Lefthanders Day.
• It allowed left-handers around the world to celebrate their uniqueness and increase public awareness.
• Today, the day is observed across the UK with multiple regional events being held for left-handers.
• You can find everything from left-handed tea parties to left-v-right sports matches and more.

Also Read: World Teen Mental Wellness Day: History, Goal, Importance

Why do we Celebrate International Lefthanders Day on 8/13?

Some people believe that the official date to observe this day is not accidental. Instead, it holds deeper meaning than what appears on the surface. It is estimated that roughly 12% – 13% of the world’s total population is left-handed which is why the day is observed on August 13.

How to Celebrate International Lefthanders Day?

Today, International Lefthanders Day is celebrated globally with various events and activities that highlight the contributions of left-handed individuals to society. Here are some activities you can do to make the day extra special and teach society to be more accommodating and inclusive of left-handed people:

Activities	How to Make It a Fun Activity
Left-Handed Writing Challenge	Try writing with your non-dominant hand for a day. This will help you appreciate the challenges that left-handed people face every day.
Left-Handed Sports Tournament	Organise a left-handed sports tournament, such as left-handed tennis, baseball, or golf. This will be a fun way to celebrate left-handedness and showcase your skills.
Left-Handed Art Exhibition	Host an art exhibition featuring works created by left-handed artists. This will be a great way to showcase the creativity of left-handed people.
Educate a Right-hander	Invite your right-handed friends and make them do a fun activity of doing things in a lefthander’s way to make them walk in your shoes.
Left-Handed Awareness Campaign	Use social media to raise awareness about left-handedness and its importance. Share stories, photos, and facts about left-handedness to help people understand the challenges that left-handed people face.

Also Read: International Friendship Day: Theme, History, Significance

What is the Significance of International Lefthanders Day?

Below you will find a few reasons why International Lefthanders Day holds great significance for people around the world. 

• It helps people recognise the unique challenges faced by left-handed individuals in a world where most things have been decided according to right-handed people. 
• The celebration of this day aims to remove the stigma associated with being a left-handed person in conservative societies. 
• It helps people celebrate their uniqueness without feeling judged or criticised.
• The day also encourages companies to manufacture appliances and products for left-handed people. 
• It aims to make this world a more inclusive society. 

How Leftie Are You?

Here’s a fun fact, you might be more leftie than you think you are. We often observe holding a pen as the only criterion for being a left-hander. But what if you are holding a pen in your right hand and secretly are a leftie? 

Let’s try this fun activity to check how leftie you are. You can award 1 point for each left gesture and 0 for the right and see which side of your body dominates most of your gestures. 

Test Your Lefthanders Skills
Task 1:	When you interlock your fingers, which thumb would be uppermost?
Task 2:	You saw your best friend and winked at him. Which eye did you wink first?
Task 3:	Raise your arm and tilt your head to touch your shoulder. Which side did you tilt?
Task 4:	Fold your arm like a knot and see which arm is the uppermost.
Task 5:	Twist sideways for waist stretching. Which side did you twist first?

Also Read: World Computer Literacy Day: Date, Theme, History, Significance

Lefthanders Fun Facts

By now, you may already have learnt a lot or become familiar with the geniuses of being a lefthander. However, check these additional fun facts about lefties that pique everyone’s interest:

• Lefties often tend to draw figures facing towards the right side.
• There’s a total occupancy of 10-12% lefthanders in the world’s population.
• One has a higher probability of developing dyslexia and stuttering if forced to write from the right hand as a child. 
• Lefthanders have good underwater vision in comparison to right-handers.
• Lefthanded sportspersons are advantageous in sports like baseball, swimming, tennis, and fencing.
• As per the research, lefthanders are considered more intelligent and tend towards quicker thinking, both emotionally and intellectually as compared to right-handed people.
• In the group of Macintosh computer designing, 4 out of 5 designers were leftie.

Famous Lefthanders Across the Globe

Before you go on celebrating International Lefthanders Day in 2023, check the following list of the famous lefties across the globe you can boast about finding something common with: 

Famous Lefthanders	Occupation
Barack Obama	Politician
Mark Zuckerberg	Business Tycoon
Oprah Winfrey	TV/Show Host
Albert Einstein	Scientist
Hellen Keller	Writer
Amitabh Bachchan	Actor
Sachin Tendulkar	Sports Person, Cricket

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