From space exploration to having the upper hand on the field,
these are some amazing things about left-handed people!
17. 10%
According to Live Science, left-handed people make up just about ten percent of
the population. Therefore, lefties are a rare breed. However, a person’s dominant hand isn’t
entirely decided by genetics. An article on the U.S. National Library of Medicine website notes
that hand preference starts developing before a person is born. Then, during early childhood,
it becomes even more apparent. A long time ago, people believed that someone’s handedness
was determined by a single gene. But, as more research was completed, scientists discovered
that up to forty genes could be responsible for it. These genes wouldn’t affect much on their own;
it’s when they work together that they play a large part in someone’s handedness. Beyond
genetics, left-handedness can be the result of factors including cultural influence and a
person’s prenatal environment. There’s also a chance that the trait is mostly random.
16. Holiday
Not only are left-handed people a rare breed, but they also have their
own holiday. The day to celebrate this trait is August thirteenth of every year.
Left Handers Day is an excellent day for left-handed folks, also called southpaws,
to celebrate being a little different from the rest of the crowd. It’s also an opportunity
for people to take into consideration how difficult it can be for lefties to adapt
to a primariy right-handed world. There’s even a Left Handers Day website where you can find
products made explicitly for southpaws, take surveys, and even sign up for a newsletter.
15. Adversity
Unfortunately, lefties have received a lot of negative attention throughout history in many
countries. A long time ago, some places required that people use their right hand for handling
food, greeting people, and eating. The left hand was reserved for using the bathroom and
other hygienic purposes. These regulations were enforced on everyone whether or not they were
right-handed. So, a person’s left hand was eventually considered dirty. Religion also
plays a significant role in the mistreatment of left-handed people. Because of this, children
have often been forced to use their right hand for writing and various other activities despite being
left-dominant. Unsurprisingly, this can harm the child. Dyslexia, learning disorders, and speech
impediments can result from converting a person to right-handedness. In fact, many countries still
try and change people’s natural constitutions. For instance, eating with your left hand is
considered disrespectful in Indonesia and India. Other countries associate lefties with bad luck.
A 2007 study of left-handed Taiwanese children revealed that over half of them had been forced
to convert to their right hands. However, the trait is widely accepted in most places nowadays.
14. Apollo Astronauts
Left-handed people have made a significant impact throughout history. Some of these
people have even gone to the moon. Two of the Apollo 11 spacemen who were the first to land on
Earth’s satellite were left-handed. They include Mike Collins and Buzz Aldrin. An average of one
in four Apollo astronauts were southpaws, which is much higher than average. Others
astronaut lefties are Ed Mitchell, Jim Lovell, Wally Schirra, Dick Gordon, and Charlie Duke.
13. Left Ring Finger
Wearing a wedding ring on your left hand is something that’s standard
practice amongst most married couples. But, how did this start? Apparently,
this tradition began in Ancient Rome. They believed that the fourth finger on one’s
left hand encompassed the “vena amoris,” also known as “the vein of love.” However,
another theory suggests that it comes from a Christian ceremony. The minister would recite
the binding prayer, during which he’d say “in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit”
and touch the person’s thumb, forefinger, and middle finger respectively. Afterward,
the minister would place the wedding ring on the fourth finger to complete the union.
12. Drinkers
Although lefties have a lot of great traits, there are some things they’re more likely to do that
could have an adverse effect on their health. One of these things is drinking. According to various
studies, left-handed folks are more likely to overuse alcohol than those who are right-hand
dominant. This is because the right side of the brain doesn’t tolerate alcohol as well. However,
despite the research, there is no conclusive evidence on whether or not it’s true that
lefties drink more. But, some arguments suggest that since southpaws are right-brain dominant,
they are more artistic and creative people. Along with this uniqueness comes more emotional
instability, which could contribute to the supposed drinking problem amongst lefties.
11. Athletic
They might be more inclined to consume alcohol than right-handed people; however,
lefties have the advantage when it comes to sports. Numerous famous athletes are
left-handed. Some notable ones are Bobby Orr, Babe Ruth, and Arnold Palmer. Even LeBron James
is a southpaw. So, it’s widely believed that lefties are innately better athletes. However,
it could be due to the element of surprise. Since the majority of people are right-dominant,
they aren’t necessarily on the lookout for the curveballs lefties throw so to speak.
10. Famous Left Handed People
Left-handed people are known for more than their athleticism. In fact, many of the famous, talented
people we know and love are lefties. Maybe they’re just more likely to make a lasting impression
than their right-handed counterparts. Some of them include FaceBook creator Mark Zuckerberg, producer
and host Oprah Winfrey, and Tomb Raider actress Angelina Jolie. Other lefties are Bill Gates,
Helen Keller, Marie Curie, and Jimi Hendrix. From guitar genius to world-changing scientists,
southpaws seem to influence all areas of society. Even Queen Elizabeth II is left-handed.
9. Scholarships
Being left-handed might have its downfalls. But, many things make it worthwhile, such as
scholarships. One of these is the Frederick and Mary F. Beckley Scholarship, which is offered
to southpaws who have completed at least their first year at Juniata College in Pennsylvania;
it is worth one thousand to one thousand five hundred dollars every year. Another offer is the
James River Church Left-Handed Scholarship, which is awarded to lefties seeking the
Associate’s Degree in Leadership. It’s worth five hundred dollars a year, and the students
have to write a five-hundred-word essay about life as a lefty. A Las Vegas-based scholarship
is the Lawyers Plus Southpaw Scholarship, which is worth one thousand five hundred dollars and
is given to left-handed students that attend accredited United States institutions full-time.
8. West Virginia
Not only are lefties offered special scholarships and have their own holiday, but these unique
people also have their own town. There’s a city in West Virginia that’s called… you guessed it…
Left Hand! It is located in Roane County on Route 36 and was named after the Lefthand Run creek.
7. Left Pawed
Although man’s best friend might not be able to pass a football with his left paw,
he can definitely be left-dominant. A study conducted at the University of Manchester in
2006 suggested that about half of dogs are left-pawed and the other half are
right-pawed. But, dogs aren’t our only furry friends that can be lefties. Domestic cats
have a dominant side as well. A 1991 study done at Ataturk University in Turkey showed
that most cats favor their right paw. It also suggested that forty percent are left-pawed,
and ten percent are ambidextrous, meaning they’re equally capable with both sides.
6. Negatives
Lefties definitely have a ton of positive traits. They’re athletic, successful, and
creative. However, some things might make their lives a bit difficult. Left-handed people are more
likely to suffer from allergies and insomnia. So, many of the night owls out there are most likely
southpaws. They also tend to go through puberty about five months later than their right-handed
counterparts. Plus, lefties more frequently have dyslexia and problems with stuttering.
5. Presidents
It’s no secret that many left-handed people have become extremely successful. We’ve already
mentioned a few of them earlier in the video. Some of them were also United States presidents. But,
only eight of the forty-five leaders we’ve had so far have been southpaws. The first one was James
Garfield, the twentieth US president. Apparently, he could write with his right and left hands
simultaneously… in two separate languages. The country’s thirty-first president, Herbert Hoover,
was a lefty as well. Number thirty-three, Harry S. Truman, began his life left-handed. But,
he was forced to use his right-hand while writing since the trait used to be frowned upon. Gerald
Ford, the thirty-eighth US president, was also a lefty. He once said that he was left-handed
when he was sitting down and right-handed when he was standing up. The United States’
fortieth president, Ronald Reagan, was another man with this trait, and George H.W. Bush,
the forty-first, was a lefty as well. The forty-second and forty-fourth presidents,
Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, make up the seventh and eighth left-handed men in office so far.
4. Ambidextrous
Since left-handedness has often been considered a bad trait throughout history,
people were forced to learn how to use their right hands for everyday tasks. So, it might not
surprise you that left-handed folks are much more likely to become ambidextrous. A study reported by
the Irish Times suggested that southpaws could train themselves to use their right hands more
quickly than those that were right-dominant. The reasoning for this could be due to history,
present-day society, genetics, or a mix of all three. We briefly mentioned that right-handed
people are dominant in their left brains and left-handed people are the opposite. However,
the science is more complicated than that. In fact, a lefty’s brain is more symmetrical,
meaning that there isn’t a huge difference in the functionality of either hemisphere. Therefore,
they are more easily able to pick up the use of their right hands. Another reason for this could
be the result of necessity. Items like scissors, ballpoint pens, and spiral notebooks are all made
for right-handed people. So, left-handers have had to learn to cope by using their right hands.
3. Twins
Although left-handers only make up about ten percent of the population,
the trait is seen more frequently in twins than anyone else. About twenty-one percent of identical
twins are southpaws. But, the probability of both identical twins having the trait is just
four percent. However, if a parent is left-handed, then the chance of one twin being a southpaw in
both fraternal and identical twins is fifty-seven percent. To make things a bit more confusing,
if both parents of either identical or fraternal twins are right-handed, then the chance of one
being left-handed is twenty-one percent. In fraternal twins, the probability of one being
right-handed and the other being left-handed is twenty-three percent. But, like their identical
counterparts, the frequency of both fraternal twins being left-handed is just four percent.
2. Unique Tools
Since people have become more inclusive and accepting over time, nowadays,
there are plenty of tools designed specifically for left-handed people so that they can experience
the same convenience as righties have throughout history. As we mentioned previously, southpaws
have a difficult time writing in spiral notebooks. This is because the metal spiral is generally on
the left side of it. So, people can now purchase notebooks with the spiral on the right side,
making writing much easier for the lefties out there. Another tool that’s notoriously difficult
to use for left-handed folks is scissors. It may seem strange, but trying to cut paper using
your left hand is problematic at best, and it can result in a cramp and frustration. But,
now there are left-handed scissors to make life easier. Another thing that most of us
use almost daily that’s difficult for southpaws is a can opener. Since some can openers are
specifically made for lefties now, they can pop open a can of beans in a hurry. Other
items that have left-handed options include pens, guitars, keyboards, and bowling balls.
1. Creativity
Although some right-handed people might disagree with this sentiment, left-handed people are often
more creative than their righty counterparts. One reason for this is that lefties are accustomed to
dealing with challenging tasks. Since most things are designed for right-handed people,
southpaws have had to overcome various obstacles throughout their lives. Considering
that lefties are usually more right-brained or symmetrically-brained than right-handed people,
they rely on their intuition more than logic when making decisions. They typically judge
things based on how they feel about it instead of looking at the facts. This plays into their
creativity. Southpaws are much more likely to follow the fluidity of ideas running through
their brains rather than considering each detail before diving into a project or issue. Lefties
also tend to go along with their gut feelings. This might be a reason that so many celebrities,
artists, and writers are left-handed. Plus, people with this trait are capable of processing
information more quickly than righties. Since many of them have symmetrical brains,
meaning both sides are evenly used, they are fast at understanding and learning new things. Lastly,
lefties are very independent. They have been the odd ones out for the majority of their lives,
which has caused them to work well by themselves and be okay with living alone.
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