International Lefthanders Day is designated to raise awareness about the challenges that lefties face while living in a right-hand-centric world. It is celebrated every year on 13 August to mark the uniqueness of left-handed people around the globe
Representational image. Wikimedia Commons
International Lefthanders Day is celebrated every year on 13 August to mark the uniqueness of the left-handed people around the globe. There is a saying that using the left hand to give and take something is considered a sign of disrespect. There are many things which are designed solely for right-handed people. As an example, ATM machines are inconvenient for left-handed people. International Lefthanders Day is designated to raise awareness about the challenges that they face while living in a right-hand-centric world. On this day, right-handed people also try to experience those challenges.
History of International Lefthanders Day:
Dean R. Campbell, the founder of Left-Handers International Inc. launched the celebration of International Lefthanders Day in 1976. However, the day got its recognition by the Left-Handers Club in 1992 and since then, this annual event is marked on 13 August. The main motto of the club was to acknowledge left-handers’ challenges in everyday life and promote unique strength instead of their oddities.
Significance of International Lefthanders Day:
Almost 13 percent of the World’s population including many eminent celebrities and great individuals is left-handed. In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, popular actors Amitabh Bachchan and Rajinikanth and cricketer Sachin Tendulkar fall in this particular category.
Icons like Mahatma Gandhi, French leader Napoleon Bonaparte, artist Pablo Picasso, and scientist Sir Isaac Newton were also lefties. In the United Kingdom, more than 20 events like left-v-right sports matches and left-handed tea parties are organised to celebrate the day.
Here are some unique facts about left-handers that we should know:
Our brain is cross-wired which means the right side of the brain operates the left side of the body and vice versa. Thus, lefties use the right side of the brain more than the left one.
Left-handed people have a chance to recover faster after facing a stroke. As the left side of our brain is responsible for language functioning, the lefties can get back their language abilities quicker.
People who are afraid of left-handed people or the left side are considered to suffer from a phobia named ‘Sinistrophobia’.
According to a study, most of the painters, musicians and architects around the globe are left-handed.
In sports like baseball, boxing, fencing and tennis, lefties get an extra advantage when they face a right-handed opponent.
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