International Lefthanders Day 2023: Origin, Fun Facts, and More

Each year on August 13th, the world comes together to celebrate International Lefthanders Day. This special occasion honours 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. 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. 

When is the International Lefthanders Day 2023?

The day has been first observed and celebrated by Dean R. Campbell (Lefthanders International, Inc., Founder) in 1976. Since then, lefties around the world go on celebrating August 13th as the official International Lefthanders Day. 

What is the History of International Lefthanders Day?

Though left-handers have existed throughout history, it wasn’t until 1992 that Lefthanders International designated August 13th as a day to celebrate left-handedness. However, the day was first observed in 1976 by the Left-Handers Club, a group founded by Dean R. Campbell to increase awareness about left-handedness and provide support to left-handed people. The day gained popularity over the years, and in 1997, the Left-Handers Day Club was established to promote the celebration of left-handedness worldwide. 

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 2023: Theme, History, Significance

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?

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:

There’s a total occupancy of 10-12% lefthanders in the world’s population.

Lefties often tend to draw figures facing towards the right side.

One has a higher probability of developing dyslexia and stuttering if forced to write from the right hand as a child.

As per the research, lefthanders are considered more intelligent and tend towards quicker thinking, both emotionally and intellectually as compared to right-handed people.

Lefthanders have good underwater vision in comparison to right-handers.

In the group of Macintosh computer designing, 4 out of 5 designers were leftie.

Lefthanded sportspersons are advantageous in sports like baseball, swimming, tennis, and fencing.

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

Also Read: Happy Independence Day 2023

FAQs

This was all about the International Lefthanders Day. Join everyone on August 13th, 2023, for the cause and celebrate the power of being left-handed. Let’s elevate the discussion, raise awareness, and build a more inclusive future for all.  For more such content, stay connected with LeverageEdu!