(Manchester) The snowflakes at Manchester University Student union have passed a motion where students have been directed to use British sign language clapping, which
involves waving your hands in the air, instead of audible clapping, at events. (AKA Jazz Hands)
After you have wiped the coffee you were drinking off the screen in front of you. I can tell you they decided to do so as apparently loud noises, including whooping and traditional applause, can pose an issue for students with disabilities such as anxiety or sensory issues,”
Union officer Sara Khan who proposed the motion at a recent
meeting said clapping can "discourage" some from attending democratic
events. So-called "jazz hands", she said, encouraged an
"environment of respect". "I think a lot of the time, even in
Parliamentary debates, I've seen that clapping, whooping, talking over each
other, loud noises, encourages an atmosphere that is not as respectful as it
could be," she said. Ms Khan said the union was looking for more ways to
make its events more inclusive.
