The student council at Oxford University in the United Kingdom has decided that “jazz hands” should replace the horrible, anxiety-causing practice of “hand clapping” that triggers students into a frenzy and apparently excludes others with "access issues."
As Campus Reform reports:
According to the Oxford Student, the Oxford Student Council approved a motion mandating the officers to encourage the use of jazz hands rather than clapping. Oxford University Student Council Vice President of Welfare and Equal Opportunity Roisin McCallion reportedly introduced the motion, which passed Tuesday. The phrase 'jazz hands' refers to when one moves their hands quickly back and forth in front of them.
“Jazz hands” is the British Sign Language expression for applause and is supposedly deemed a more inclusive gesture.
As the Oxford Student explains that traditional clapping "presents an access issue for some disabled students who have anxiety disorders, sensory sensitivity, and/or those who use hearing impairment aids."
This idea is obviously a giant joke to those of us who don’t experience “sensory-overload” from the sound caused by the clapping of hands, and a former Oxford student interviewed by The Daily Mail agrees:
“Oxford University Student Union is always seeking to be more accommodating for students. Especially for those with accessibility issues,” the former student told the outlet. “But this idea will not work and is completely ludicrous.”
Piers Morgan mocked the university for establishing this foolish idea as well in a tweet.
Oxford is now the second University to adopt the use of British Sign Language. If you’ll remember, MRCTV reported on the University of Manchester doing the same in Oct. 2018.