Are you a left hander? A southpaw? I am. Since only a mere 10% of the American and European population is left handed, I am in a minority. But, at least I’m in good company. Famous people and celebrities such as Ronald Reagan, George Bush, Bill Clinton, Dr. Albert Schweitzer, Jay Leno, Mark Twain, Natalie Cole, Paul McCartney, Tom Cruise, Whoopie Goldberg, Julia Roberts, Dick Van Dyke, Bruce Willis and Oprah Winfrey are/were left handers too. It’s also believed polar bears are left handed too- true southpaws! Read this interesting article and learn some more little known facts about left handers that you are sure to find thought-provoking!
Early Beliefs and Meanings
Left handedness has long been given a bum rap. The Holy Bible speaks of “sitting at the right hand of God the Father.” A little known fact about left handers is that, during the witch trials of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, being prone to use this hand was another “sure” sign of being a witch, devil or other type of evildoer. The English word “sinister” originated from the Latin word “sinistra”. “Sinistra” means “left.” The German word for “left”, as in left handers, is “linke.” “Linkisch” is defined as being “awkward or clumsy.” The Italian word for “left” is “sinistro/a.” What’s the definition of “sinister”? “Suggesting or threatening evil”, according to Answers.com. If you have Sinistrophobia, you have a fear of things that are to the left. And the list goes on and on.
The Way We Use Our Brains
On a more positive note, right handed people use the left side of their brains. Left handed people use the right sides of their brains. Therefore, as the old joke goes, “Only left handed people are in their right minds.” All kidding aside, a little known fact about left handers is that they are “considerably more intellectually gifted”, according to studies performed by Dr. Alan Searleman of the St. Lawrence University in New York. Geniuses” are those among us who have an IQ (Intelligence Quotient) of more than 140. Did you know there is a large percentage of left handed geniuses, as opposed to right handers?
When it comes to creativity, left handers tend to choose more imaginative professions such as writing, music and art.
More Apt to Be Left Handed
A study was conducted by Canadian researchers Martin Lalu-miere, Ray Blanchard and Kenneth Zucker of the University of Toronto ( Psychological Bulletin, July 2000). The study compared sexual orientation and left and right handers. According to the results, homosexuals were 39% more likely to be left handed and/or ambidextrous (able to use both hands with equal skill).
Another interesting fact about left handers is they are more likely to be males. Males are one-and-a-half-times more likely to be southpaws than females.
If you’re a left-hander, you probably play tennis and swim well. However, you also have a larger chance of suffering from stuttering, Dyslexia and allergies. Studies show that left handers die about a decade earlier -on the average- than right handers too. This could be due to the fact most tools and machines are designed for right handers. (I was once let go from a job at a film processing plant because I am left handed.)
Lefthanders Unite
Even though us left handers are forced to live in a right-handed world, it does help to know there’s an organization called “Lefthanders International” we can belong to. A little known fact about left handers is that August 13th has been designated as being “their day”. The first “International Left Hander’s Day” was celebrated on August 13, 1976.
