Clapping: a rant.

The Women's Conference of the National Union of Students (NUS) in Solihull, England, has requested that instead of clapping, the audience responds with jazz hands, instead.

Jazz hands? Apparently that's putting up your palm outwards and with splayed fingers. The rapid shaking of hands from side to side is optional.

Clapping was, according to a Tweet from the NUS Women's Campaign 'triggering anxiety'.

Nona Buckley-Irvine, the general secretary of the London School of Economics (LSE) Students' Union (SU), said: 'Jazz hands are used throughout NUS in place of clapping to show appreciation of someone's point without interrupting or causing disturbance, as it can create anxiety...it does add to creating a more inclusive atmosphere.'

Gee Linford-Grayson, the LSE SU's women's officer said 'who doesn't like jazz hands?'

Well, I don't. 

In fact the mere thought of doing jazz hands is causing me severe anxiety. For one thing, they remind me of The Black and White Minstrels, and quite honestly I'd suspect myself of being racist.

In any case, you poor sensitive students, a conference is about conferring. 

And if you can't even cope with people agreeing with you in their own way then perhaps it isn't a conference you're running at all, but a series of lectures.

Thing To Do Today: clap. This word comes from the Old English clæppan. The word is an imitation of the noise.