Just 10% of the global population is left-handed, roughly 830 million people out of 8 billion. On August 13, National Left-Handers Day, lefties are sharing the honest truth: the world is built for right-handed people. From smudgy notebooks to fridges that open the 'wrong' way, left-handed individuals face daily struggles that right-handers rarely notice. Social stigma has also historically turned lefties into symbols of bad luck, akin to a broken mirror.
The Science and Myths Behind Left-Handedness
Humans are the only primate species that favours one hand over the other on a population-level scale. A 2026 Oxford University study theorised that hand preference evolved when humans began walking on two legs, freeing hands for precise tasks like food preparation and tool making. As brains grew, different regions specialised in certain tasks, often requiring a 'specialist hand'. However, why the right hand became dominant remains unclear.
Throughout history, lefties have been targets of superstition. In many countries, folklore links left-handedness to the devil, witchcraft, and bad luck. Getting out of bed with the left foot first or passing a drink with the left hand were considered omens. Interestingly, due to nerve wiring, the left side of the brain controls the right side of the body, and vice versa.
Other myths include the 'vanishing twin' theory, suggesting lefties were originally twins in the womb, which is false but stems from the fact that twins are slightly more likely to be left-handed. Another disproven claim from the 1980s and 90s is that lefties die younger due to using right-handed equipment. A fun but false fact is that all polar bears are left-handed.
Daily Struggles of Lefties
Filipa Castro, 28, a producer from London, has been left-handed since birth. She tells Metro: 'Writing became my biggest enemy. Your hand often ends up overlapping with what you've just written, so if you're not using a pen that dries quickly, things get smudged. With phones, you'll notice that all of the important buttons are on the right side. On WhatsApp, the send button and the block button are both on the right-hand side.' She adds: 'Unconsciously, we have to be the ones to find ways to make our lives easier, because the world doesn't make it easy for us.'
Reece Morrison, 30, found sports frustrating. He says: 'My Dad wanted me to be a golfer as a kid and the only way to teach me was to make sure I mirrored his swing, so now I play right handed which is hard to un-learn. I tried to pull a pint the other day but due to its positioning I had to pour it with my right hand and ended up with a rubbish pint full of foam!' He also notes physical discomfort: 'Whenever I use scissors I have to squeeze the blades together with my palm so they sit in a way that works for me and it gives me a bad cramp. Opening doors is a hindrance too, the door opens into my body making the manoeuvre awkward and therefore my entrance into a room.'
Andrea La Rosa, 30, an influencer marketing strategist, felt different from a young age. She tells Metro: 'At school I would often have to sit by myself because I needed more space to write. And I was once even called a child of the devil by a nun.'
The Perks of Being Left-Handed
Despite the challenges, lefties are known for creativity, with famous examples like Leonardo da Vinci, Paul McCartney, and Lady Gaga. They also excel in sports, as seen with Rafael Nadal, Babe Ruth, and Manny Pacquiao, who often unsettle right-handed opponents.
Sophie Alcock, 27, a chartered surveyor and lacrosse player, tells Metro: 'I was the only left-handed player on my team. Because it was quite uncommon I had an edge when on the attack, as I wasn't expected to drive from that side.' She adds: 'In history, left-handers were supposedly witches and were thus burnt. I like to think that I'm a secret witch.'
Metro lifestyle editor Kristina Beanland, a proud lefty, says it's 'like being in a secret club.' She explains: 'The best thing about being left-handed is getting to tell people that you are. People are always surprised — I'm never entirely sure why — and I like to lean into the fun stereotypes, like the fact we're clumsy (endearing) and creative (so chic). It's always fun meeting another lefty, too; you get a mini moment of bonding those normie right-handers can never enjoy. As long as you can adapt to the everyday inconveniences, it's a low stakes way of being different. If left-handedness is wrong, then I don't want to be right.'
