page_title: Left-handedness
section_title: Handwriting
hierarchical_section_title: Left-handedness / Bad things about left-handedness / Things designed for right-handed people / Handwriting
caption_attribution_description: English: President Barack Obama writes at his desk in the Oval Office 3/3/09.
context_page_description: Left-handedness is the preference to use the left hand more than the right hand for daily activities such as writing or using tools. Most people can use either hand for many things. However, people very often have a definite preference for using the left or right hand for things such as: using a pen, using a knife, using scissors, brushing teeth, blowing their nose, and so on. People who do not have a preference are called ambidextrous, and people who cannot use either are called ambisinistrous.
  People do not just have preferences with things they do with their hands: they may, for example, be left-footed if they prefer to kick a ball with the left foot, or push harder with the left foot on a bicycle pedal.
  Far more people are right handed than left handed. It is difficult to measure exactly how many, because each person has a different mixture of preferences, but about 5-10% are left-handed.
context_section_description: It can be difficult for left-handed children to learn to write if the teacher does not give them special help. The reason for this is that most writing moves from left to right across the page. This means that left-handed writers may hold their hand over what has just been written.
  In many countries, children are allowed to write with whichever hand is easier, although there are some countries where children may be made to write with the right hand. Many things can be difficult for left-handed writers. Chairs with writing boards may all be made for right-handed people. This makes left-handed people sit uncomfortably and hold their pens in an different way.
caption: The former President of the United States, Barack Obama, is left-handed
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