Happy Left Handers’ Day!!!

August 13th marked the 22nd International Left-Handers’ Day, celebrating the uniqueness of the left-handed individual.

USA Today reports approximately 10 percent of the world’s population is left-handed. This happens because the brain is divided into two hemispheres. The right side of the brain controls movement on the left side of the body and vice versa.

But why humans develop “handedness,” or a preference for one side over the other, is still somewhat a mystery. Because left-handedness tends to run in families, scientists believed for years that handedness was linked to a gene, but could not identify the exact one, according to the New York Times.

A 2013 study published in PLOS (Public Library of Science) Genetics found that a network of genes may determine a person’s handedness, as opposed to just one. “In reality, the research suggests that handedness could be more subtle than simple ‘dominant’ or ‘recessive’ traits – a whole host of genes might play significant roles,” Natasha Geiling wrote about the study on Smithsonian.com.

Time listed some famous left-handers include three of the last four United States Presidents (Barack Obama, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, not to mention, Garfield, Truman, Hoover, Ford and Reagan), Oprah Winfrey, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, intellectual standouts such as Marie Curie, Leonardo DaVinci and Aristotle, Napolean Bonaparte, and famed guitarist Jimi Hendrix. Quite a Left-Handed Hall Of Fame, but it wasn’t always that way.

People who are left-handed oftentimes were subjected to getting their left hands slapped with a ruler until they could “properly’ use their right hand. Metro UK also reports left-handed people also have difficulties finding workable office or school supplies, Studies have found that left-handed people die sooner and have anger management issues. What’s most remarkable is that the ration of 9 right-handers to 1 left-hander hasn’t changed much.

So, where exactly did being left-handed give people the right to call left-handed persons “southpaw?” No one reason has been given, but there are a couple of theories. One is when a left-handed pitcher stands on the mound, ready to throw, his left hand pointing south, hence “Southpaw.” Another possibility is that there was a pitcher from Southpaw, Illinois, who threw left-handed back near the early 1900’s. The coaches and players gave that pitcher the adopted name “Southpaw”. Further investigation found no such town named in Illinois.

So, to all the left -handers out there, enjoy your special day! Happy International Left-Handers’ Day!![