I was reading a twitter thread about policing

[conuly]

in which many responders use the term "ACAB" which, from context, I think means "All Cops Are Bastards, but my brain, alas, has short-circuited and I can't help but read it, insistently, as "Assigned Cop At Birth".

Related.

Comments

[saraqael]

I've only seen it defined as "All Cops Are Bad."

[conuly]

I mean, same diff.

[readerjane]

*snort*

[melannen]

I have the same problem.

[delight]

I keep doing that too.

[steorra]

Yes, I have had that same misexpansion, and I know other people who have too.

[delphi]

I have the opposite problem, having been aware of ACAB through prison tats long before AFAB/AMAB entered my lexicon. I still have to remind myself that the latter aren't statements about women and men being terrible.

[pauraque]

I thought it was just me!

[dewline]

Seems to me that both versions are seeing regular usage. Where you stand on police conduct determines which version you see as valid.

[isis]

Hah, me too!

[sabotabby]

It is not an uncommon response. :)

To avoid Facebook censure, I use All Cats Are Beautiful a lot. The Baskin and Robbins logo also works well.

[jesuswasbatman]

You move in very euphemistic circles.

[chanter1944]

I did almost exactly this earlier! I kept reading it, and still keep reading it, as assigned ... somethingorother at birth.

I'm told ACAB stands for all cops are bad. Um. I could get detailed in my response to this one, but won't.

[landofnowhere]

The first time I saw the term my guess from context was that the writer was saying they were Assigned Cranky At Birth.

[saraqael]

LOL. I guess so.

[saraqael]

I guess so. I think 'bastards' is more memorable.

[wpadmirer]

Thank you.

[rhoda_rants]

Oh gosh, SAME and it took me forever to parse. I was afraid to ask and you can't exactly Google it.

On a similar note: even though I *know* what it stands for, I can't help reading "AFAB" as "Absolutely Fabulous." Because of that goofy-ass show.

[archangelbeth]

I, too, encountered ACAB after AFAB/AMAB had embedded in my brain, and cannot get that initial reading out. Which, okay, could be worse...

[cellio]

I had not seen "ACAB" before your post, but when I got to it here my brain jumped to the same place yours did!

[lightbird]

Thank you for the link to the Medium essay.

[pauamma]

Joining the chorus of people who misinterpret it as "Assigned Cop At Birth".

[moon_custafer]

Several people on Tumblr have noted they read it that way, and one of them drew a cartoon of a doctor announcing “It’s a cop!” as they hold up a baby with a badge, a moustache and Ray-Bans.

[wolby]

Oh same, though I've been familiar with both for a few years and the confusion eventually faded. But I still think about it almost every time.

There's a free Tor short story called "Adult Children of Alien Beings" that uses ACAB though, and THAT is expecting too much work from your audience.

[zhelana]

honesly, i'd read it that way too.

[silveradept]

I like the second reading as a bit of humor, but I encountered it first as All Cops Are Bastards. Acronyms are fun, aren't they?