Able-bodied
Encyclopedia
Able-bodied refers, in law
, to an individual's physical or mental capacity for gainful employment
or military service
, and it is in this sense that the term is also used regarding eligibility for payment of child support
or alimony
.
The term is also used by disability rights activists and their supporters to refer to those who function "normally
" in society and do not have an outward physical disability
. In these circles, particularly amongst those who more closely align themselves with the "identity"
of disability, 'able-bodied' is sometimes abbreviated in speech and/or writing to "AB", as in "that AB person over there". "AB" can even sometimes be used in a condescending and/or disparaging manner, as if to suggest a certain level of 'disability supremacy' because of disabled individuals' sometimes markedly-different perspectives on the physical world and their place in it. In that context "able-bodied" is seen almost as a type of immaturity
due to the able-bodied person's lack of disability experience.
The term "nondisabled" is considered by some to be preferable to
the term "able-bodied" because it moves "disability" from a marginalized to a centralized topic of discourse. Others, however, question the necessity of using what is essentially a double negative
-rooted word ("non" and "dis" coupled in front of "abled") when the straightforwardly positive "able" works just as well or better; i.e., a 'non-negative' in anything is the equivalent of a positive.
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
, to an individual's physical or mental capacity for gainful employment
Employment
Employment is a contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. An employee may be defined as:- Employee :...
or military service
Military service
Military service, in its simplest sense, is service by an individual or group in an army or other militia, whether as a chosen job or as a result of an involuntary draft . Some nations require a specific amount of military service from every citizen...
, and it is in this sense that the term is also used regarding eligibility for payment of child support
Child support
In family law and public policy, child support is an ongoing, periodic payment made by a parent for the financial benefit of a child following the end of a marriage or other relationship...
or alimony
Alimony
Alimony is a U.S. term denoting a legal obligation to provide financial support to one's spouse from the other spouse after marital separation or from the ex-spouse upon divorce...
.
The term is also used by disability rights activists and their supporters to refer to those who function "normally
Normality
Normality may refer to:* The property of conforming to a norm; see normality , assimilation * Normality The state of dynamic equilibrium between all the bio-psycho-social parameters of the individual and the surrounding bio-psycho-social environment...
" in society and do not have an outward physical disability
Physical disability
A physical disability is any impairment which limits the physical function of one or more limbs or fine or gross motor ability. Other physical disabilities include impairments which limit other facets of daily living, such as respiratory disorders and epilepsy....
. In these circles, particularly amongst those who more closely align themselves with the "identity"
Identity politics
Identity politics are political arguments that focus upon the self interest and perspectives of self-identified social interest groups and ways in which people's politics may be shaped by aspects of their identity through race, class, religion, sexual orientation or traditional dominance...
of disability, 'able-bodied' is sometimes abbreviated in speech and/or writing to "AB", as in "that AB person over there". "AB" can even sometimes be used in a condescending and/or disparaging manner, as if to suggest a certain level of 'disability supremacy' because of disabled individuals' sometimes markedly-different perspectives on the physical world and their place in it. In that context "able-bodied" is seen almost as a type of immaturity
Maturity (psychological)
Maturity is a psychological term used to indicate how a person responds to the circumstances or environment in an appropriate manner. This response is generally learned rather than instinctive, and is not determined by one's age...
due to the able-bodied person's lack of disability experience.
The term "nondisabled" is considered by some to be preferable to
Politically Correct
Politically Correct may refer to:*Political correctness, language, ideas, policies, or behaviour seeking to minimize offence to groups of people-See also:*Politically Correct Bedtime Stories, book by James Finn Garner, published in 1994...
the term "able-bodied" because it moves "disability" from a marginalized to a centralized topic of discourse. Others, however, question the necessity of using what is essentially a double negative
Double negative
A double negative occurs when two forms of negation are used in the same sentence. Multiple negation is the more general term referring to the occurrence of more than one negative in a clause....
-rooted word ("non" and "dis" coupled in front of "abled") when the straightforwardly positive "able" works just as well or better; i.e., a 'non-negative' in anything is the equivalent of a positive.
See also
- AbleismAbleismAbleism is a form of discrimination or social prejudice against people with disabilities. It is known by many names, including disability discrimination, physicalism, handicapism, and disability oppression...
- Social model of disabilitySocial model of disabilityThe social model of disability is a reaction to the dominant medical model of disability which in itself is a Cartesian functional analysis of the body as machine to be fixed in order to conform with normative values...