Left-handers have their day!

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How about a shout out for the lefties?  They have their own day to celebrate their gift of being left handed. Left Hander’s Day is on August 13 and was first celebrated in 1976 and was started by Lefthander’s International.

Most of the world revolves around being right handed.  Computer mice and scissors, for example, are made for the majority of people who are right handed.  Only about 10% of the population are left handed and during the 1600’s, people thought left handers were witches and warlocks.

How that has changed. History is filled with famous left handed people including: Joan of Arc, Queen Elizabeth II, Alexander the Great, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, Neil Armstrong and Tom Cruise to name a few.  Of course there were some notorious lefties too:  Osama bin Laden, the Boston Strangler and Jack the Ripper.  Some of the greatest athletes in baseball are ‘southpaws’.  (Go Cubbies!)

If you are right handed, celebrate your left handed friends on August 13 and always.  This right handed world can be a major challenge for them.  Remember:  ‘Lefties have rights!’

Some books about left-handedness at JCPL.