Meet three educators who are thankful the days of being forced to write with their wrong hand are long gone.

On International Left Handers Day, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Southern Queensland says she remembers hearing stories of how her fellow left handed classmates were treated.

"Even as recently as the 1960s there was pressure to try and 'convert' people to use the right hand," she said.

"I heard stories of students having their left hand tied behind their backs.

"I was blessed with a mother who was quite enlightened. She made sure I was allowed to fulfil my left hand destiny!"

Ms Thomas says left and right handedness affects many factors of life.

"My disciplinary background as a veterinary surgeon was particularly influenced because of the surgical instruments. Those things absolutely skew to the right hand," she said.

"You can get left handed surgical instruments, but certainly the bulk during training periods are right handed. And they're quite specifically right handed.

"I even struggled with the piano, as being more dominant on my left hand the bass came out more strongly.

"I was ahead of my time with Drum and Bass music!" She laughed.

Confined to history

Tim McMahon is a history teacher at Christian Outreach College in Toowoomba.

He says a rap over the knuckles in a 1960s classroom was light compared to what happened in earlier times.

"In the Middle Ages some thought you were of the devil if you were left handed," he said.

"There's stories of people being burned as witches because of their left handedness.

"Those practices are definitely something we should leave in the past!"

He says the only time he feels his left handedness has been a problem is when he walks into a guitar shop.

"I'll see a whole wall full of guitars to play, and only two are left handed," he said.

Embrace the lefty

Tim Kelly is the Deputy Headmaster at Toowoomba Grammar School.

"My father was left handed too, and I've heard him tell stories of being 'trained' to be right handed," he said.

"As teachers today we encourage students to learn using the skills they have.

"We encourage our boys to work as hard as they can, with whatever hand they may be using."

Mr Kelly says he is in good company as a left hander.

"Four of the last five American presidents are left handed. That's impressive. Embrace the lefty I say!" he said.

The pros and cons

"I always found there were certain advantages that came with being left handed playing sport," Mr Kelly said.

But is quick to add, "I'm absolutely hopeless with scissors!"

Jan Thomas says she promises not to use her influence in the university's top job to give lefties an unfair advantage, even if they have been disadvantaged in the past.

"Everybody should be treated equally, but as a comfort to lefties out there, surprise is often the best tactic," she said.

She says left field ideas are often the best on the sporting field, or even in business.

"Pulling a 'left' strategy out can really give you the edge."

She says she'll celebrate International Left Handers Day by giving people left handed high fives.

"I don't know how to do a right handed high five, so everyone just has to work around me!" she laughed.