A student union did this and people don’t know whether to laugh or cry (just don’t applaud)
Manchester University’s student union has banned clapping ‘to avoid triggering anxiety and improve accessibility’.
No, really it has. Look.
Clapping has been banned at University of Manchester Students’ Union events to avoid triggering anxiety and improve accessibility. Students are instead encouraged to use "jazz hands" to express their support. pic.twitter.com/8pSF3svvLy
— BBC North West (@BBCNWT) October 1, 2018
People didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. But whatever you do, DON’T APPLAUD.
Here are our favourite responses online.
1.
To think 100 yrs or so ago a generation of similar ages were jumping out of a trench into gunfire pic.twitter.com/6fkjnP3OKV
— jaxxmanc (@JLFGX) October 1, 2018
2.
what have we allowed our nation to become?
— Spaniels Rule (@Spaniels_Rule) October 1, 2018
3.
One where kids aren't being sent to war and killed. Seems like an improvement really.
— Brennan Says (@SaysBrennan) October 1, 2018
4.
Let's find a middle ground between sent to war and afraid of applause
— justinhj (@justinhj) October 1, 2018
5.
We're struggling to come up with ridiculous stories – and being outdone by real life every time.
PS, "jazz hands" is racist. Probably.— Sunday Sport (@thesundaysport) October 1, 2018
6.
I’m triggered by jazz hands. https://t.co/Q8xqEJdwDa
— Andy (@lecanardnoir) October 1, 2018
7.
0161 Manny ban the clap https://t.co/pmyJGCQHzI
— Stephen Tries (@StephenTries) October 2, 2018
And just in case you were wondering …
Is this actually true though? Why is there no link to an actual story? So many news outlets love to generate clickbait with exaggerated stories of things being ‘banned’. I thought the BBC was above it though.
— Richard Carroll (@Richard_Carroll) October 2, 2018
Yes. This was a motion passed at Manchester University Students Union. We’re talking to the SU on tonight’s programme.
— BBC North West (@BBCNWT) October 2, 2018
There was a serious side too.
Last time a story like this went viral it turned out the student union was discouraging clapping during plenary debates because (1) it could be distracting for inexperienced public speakers and (2) it could make it hard for people to hear. https://t.co/B8iYEqPAbJ
— Angus Johnston (@studentactivism) October 1, 2018
But most people were thinking along these lines.