The National Union of Students, the confederation of student unions across the United Kingdom, is considering a proposal to ban cheering at their conferences because it could allegedly limit accessibility for deaf people.
The Telegraph reports students who choose to clap for speakers at the National Union of Students conference could face “consequences” if a motion by Durham University’s student union is adopted.
According to the Telegraph, National Union of Student conference participants were “repeatedly warned” that cheering has a “serious impact” on the conference’s accessibility for deaf people.
Participants, instead, were instructed to use jazz hands.
Estelle Hart, a member of the NUS elections committee, told students, “No whooping, it does have a serious impact on some delegates ability to access conference” during a session on Thursday. She later gave another “gentle reminder not to whoop.”
Shelly Asquith, the NUS vice president for welfare, claimed, “We’ve had a number of requests that people stop whooping.”
The Durham University measure to prevent cheering at future conferences states, “access needs of disabled students are disregarded/overlooked in terms of conference member behavior and NUS structures,” claiming the cheering and chanting compromises the “safety and wellbeing” of disabled students.
The motion allegedly calls for “reduced cheering or unnecessary loud noises on conference floor, including whooping and clapping” and lays out “consequences” for those who clap.
In 2015, the NUS swapped out clapping for jazz hands, claiming clapping may trigger anxiety.
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