21 February 2010

TAB

Some activists for disabled people use an acronym - "TAB" - to refer to normal people.  The letters stand for "Temporarily Able-Bodied," as a reminder that any normal healthy person is only an illness or accident away from disability.  The term has been around for years, but the current Olympics has offered some striking reminders of the validity of the acronym.

Photo: Britain's Chemmy Alcott crashes after crossing the finish line in the women's Alpine Skiing Downhill race on February 17, 2010. (REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach) #

2 comments:

  1. AnonymousFebruary 24, 2010 at 3:54 PM

    Hey, you don't label me and I won't label you. That way we can keep it barely civil.

    Reclassifying everyone else to make it seem as if there is a hairsbreadth of difference (there but for the grace of God go I) between us when there might not be, won't make you feel any better but might aggravate us.

    And here is where my us and them language betrays my annoyance and inability to politely discuss this subject.

    ReplyDelete
  2. MaiaJanuary 31, 2012 at 10:51 AM

    Given that most people are fully abled up until the moment of death, 'TAB' is on the average incorrect.

    ReplyDelete