From Ronald Reagan to Julius Caesar, here are 11 world leaders who were left-handed

Advertisement
From Ronald Reagan to Julius Caesar, here are 11 world leaders who were left-handed

bill clinton lefty

Advertisement
  • August 13 is International Lefthanders Day.
  • Just 10% of people in the world are left-handed, though many of them occupy high offices.
  • Scroll down to see 11 left-handed world leaders - from Benjamin Netanyahu to Barack Obama to Simon Bolivar, the military general who liberated South America.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Though left-handers make up just 10% of the world, many of them have very important jobs.

A surprising number of US presidents, in particular, are left-handers - George HW Bush, Ronald Reagan, and Barack Obama are just three of the lefties to have occupied the Oval Office.

According to some research, lefties may be more creative, be better at "divergent thinking" - generating new ideas based on existing information - and face challenges better.

Read more: Scientists say left-handed people may be smarter in one key way

Advertisement

Scroll down to see 11 of the world's left-handed leaders.

{{}}

When former US President Barack Obama signed his first executive order in 2009, he said: "That's right, I'm a lefty, get used to it."

When former US President Barack Obama signed his first executive order in 2009, he said: "That's right, I'm a lefty, get used to it."

Source: Business Insider

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is a lefty.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is a lefty.
Advertisement

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta is also one of many left-handed world leaders. Kenyatta, the son of Kenya's first ever president, has led the country since 2013.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta is also one of many left-handed world leaders. Kenyatta, the son of Kenya's first ever president, has led the country since 2013.

Read more: Scientists think they have found the reason some people are left-handed — and it has nothing to do with the brain

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who has occupied his office since 2004, also writes with his left hand.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who has occupied his office since 2004, also writes with his left hand.
Advertisement

Prince William — seen here in 2015 — is a left-handed royal.

Prince William — seen here in 2015 — is a left-handed royal.

Read more: 5 ways being left-handed can positively affect your life

Former UK Prime Minister David Cameron is seen here in Jakarta signing a guest book with his left hand.

Former UK Prime Minister David Cameron is seen here in Jakarta signing a guest book with his left hand.
Advertisement

Bill Clinton was the third consecutive US president who writes with his left hand.

Bill Clinton was the third consecutive US president who writes with his left hand.

Here's his predecessor, George HW Bush...

Here's his predecessor, George HW Bush...
Advertisement

... and his predecessor, Ronald Reagan.

... and his predecessor, Ronald Reagan.

Reagan was born left-handed, but his schoolteachers forced him to learn right-handed writing.

Many former US presidents were also lefties. They include James Garfield, Herbert Hoover, Harry Truman, and Gerald Ford.

Read more: 8 presidents you had no idea were left-handed

Though there (obviously) isn't photographic evidence to prove it, multiple historical documents have recorded Roman Empire ruler Julius Caesar to be left-handed.

Though there (obviously) isn't photographic evidence to prove it, multiple historical documents have recorded Roman Empire ruler Julius Caesar to be left-handed.
Advertisement

Statues and paintings also depict Simon Bolivar, the military leader who liberated Latin America from Spain, holding his sword or documents in his left hand.

Statues and paintings also depict Simon Bolivar, the military leader who liberated Latin America from Spain, holding his sword or documents in his left hand.
Next StoryRemainer MPs are plotting to force Boris Johnson to request a Brexit extension