5 Reasons It’s Good to Be Left-Handed

(Photo: Getty Images/Yahoo)

Left-handed? Congrats! Today (Aug. 13) is Left Handers Day, dedicated to the (roughly) 11 percent of the population with dominant left hands. To celebrate, we rounded up some reasons for why you lefties are so darn awesome.

1. You know how to lead. Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and George Bush Sr. are all lefties, as were Gerald Ford, Harry Truman, and James Garfield. That’s about 14 percent of all US presidents, a full 3 percent higher than the national average. Coincidence? We think not.

2. You’re a pretty talented crew. Actresses Julia Roberts, Sarah Jessica Parker, Nicole Kidman and Scarlett Johansson are all lefties, as are Bruce Willis, Hugh Jackman, and more. Famous leftie musicians include Paul McCartney, David Bowie, Lady Gaga, Eminem, and Niall Horan. Left-handed? You’re in some good company.

3. You have some special skills. Studies have found that lefties might be more creative than righties, which explains why so many famous artists and writers are left-handed. It’s not clear whether this is genetic, or because the world is pretty much built for righties and lefties are forced to innovate.

4. You’re automatically great at baseball. (Well, kind of!). Roughly 25 percent of baseball players are left-handed. Why? It might be because lefties are closer to first base, or because the angle at which a ball is thrown gives lefties a little more time to watch the pitch.

5. You’re also pretty great at tennis — many tennis stars are either lefties or play left-handed, including greats John McEnroe and Rafael Nadal. Some experts even consider lefties to have a small advantage.

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