Am furious with NUS Women's Campaign

Oh my word. What utter nonsense!

If people can't cope with clapping then the onus is on THEM to find a way to deal with it.

I would clap AND whoop!

As someone who graduated not that long ago I think this really shows why so many students just can't be arsed with politics. You turn up at uni bright eyed and bushy tailed brining with ideas about how to make your space a better place. Only to be told by a man in a skirt you have to wave your jazz hands to ban everything under the sun, and no, you can't decide what is being discussed unless you stuck to their bonkers script.

Hmm. Never heard of 'jazz hands' but it sounded so interesting I had to look it up. The origin is murky, its also known as 'spirit fingers' in US cheer-leading. It either dates to 1927 and Al Jolson 'The Jazz Singer' or its derived from hand movements performed in worship by pentecostals. I think I will go with the later on this one, as described it sounds like it has all the warm fuzzy feeling of a church group with the same disconnect of reality.

Ah this take me back! It's not just feminists who can't clap, I remember going to a People & Planet meeting circa 2009 at uni and the guest speaker telling us we couldn't clap/shout but had to use jazz hands. We all thought WTF? I don't think she explained why we weren't allowed to clap. There were only about 15 of us and we were all friends anyway so I think we could have handled a bit of clapping.

"It's like watching hedgehogs crossing a motorway and discussing how many minutes of silence to accord to each fallen comrade."

awesome, Jeanne.

I think adjustments go both ways. What seems to be proposed is a large number of people adapting a pretty normal polictical behaviour for the benefit of a very few. Same end effect can be achieved by the use of a web link or ear defenders by those few. It's perfectly reasonable therefore to feel that the small change by that small number is more likely to be sustainable than a large change by a large number.
Added to which I think the 'silencing' aspect is very concerning and the practical aspect is ridiculous 'Now before we start debating this evening's motion concerning supporting a woman's right to choose can I remind you all not to be abusive to the speakers, address the chair and DO NOT CLAP. Wave your hands like this ''''' ''''' instead'

John Thompson would say.

Oh I think I've got it now you mean as in the Al Jolson film?

"Jazz hands" was making me think of The Fast Show's "Jazz Club" ; nice as

Imagine this with sort of 'glittery' shaking hands

What are "jazz hands" ? Seriously. Never heard of them.

Me neither. This conversation is flying right over my head!

Actually, I find jazz hands triggering and also seriously racist. [straightface]

This has moved on a bit... I'm still confused about whether or not I am allowed to go to a fancy dress party as Oliver Cromwell.

Anyway, this: Because it is majorly, majorly problematic to reinforce the "nice girls are quiet" trope about sums it up for me. To which, of course, has been added, 'Women can't take nasty loud noises, poor delightful creatures'.

Still, jazz hands is when you hold your arms bent at the elbow, so your hands are up (sort of surprised-kangaroo-pose) and then waggle your hands like an over-excited toddler waving.

It doesn't occur to a lot of people that drag might be mocking women. That's a normal response.

hir - why, are you not angry at either of them?

Has nobody come across these before? We used to use jazz hands and other similar signals at the feminist / womens groups I used to attend at uni. It was never about avoiding anxiety though, the hand signal system a name like collaborative communication or something. It was used as a way of gauging the views/opinions of the whole group without derailing the speaker before they had chance to finish and to be inclusive to the whole group. Although if you ended with the room making x-factor crosses with their arms at you then were in big trouble and your proposal was being very vehemently opposed!

Shame the nus have twisted it into a joke though. Another easy laugh at womens rights/groups expense.

I found a link to Occupy who seem to be using some of the same signals en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupy_movement_hand_signals but can't find where they actually originate from. Would probably help if I could remember their proper name!

Well Puffins we will have to disagree that it's a joke about the oppression of women. That's how you see it . I don't.

What are "jazz hands" ? Seriously. Never heard of them.

I saw a panto this year with two dames and a female principal boy. Come to Yorkshire!

Yes, because jokes about the oppression of women are seriously amusing.

If you're furious about jazz hands, are you apoplectic at this afternoon's decision to support the decriminalisation of prostitution?

I haven't seen the John Barrowman/ Krankies' pantos but I assume Janette Krankie will have been dressed as a boy as she usually is.

Must admit I had a pair of principal boy over the knee boots in the late 70s. Very unfeminist of me but I loved turning heads when I wore them.

Re drag it honestly never occurred to me (and still doesn't ) that the 6 foot ungainly rugger type in a godawful frock and badly applied make-up was mocking women. The joke seems firmly on them.

DS has sensory issues. The world won't adapt to him, so, in order to enable him to cope with them, we've taught him strategies to cope. One of which is ear buds.

Clapping is a social norm in the UK.