To think it's inappropriate to use this term?

[Welshmaenad]

I picked up a pack of Bleach London bleaching kit and a couple of cream dyes in Boots today.

Was just looking at the back of the bleaching kit pack and it says it's for " blondorexics and casual bleach dabblers".

AIBU to think that's a really inappropriate bastardisation of anorexics, in this context? It's such a serious disease, I don't claim to be any kind of expert on the terminology but it seems very 'pro ana' and disrespectful of sufferers.

If IANBU how should I word my complaint to the company?

[TwinkieTwinkle]

I am genuinely interested what the op, who talked about the 'bastardising' of language, thinks about asking people to censor their use of a suffix so not to offend others.

[lljkk]

Blonde loving?

[Sparklingbrook]

Blonde-addict may also offend...

[TwinkieTwinkle]

Jeez Louise... Apologies if I offend anyone but you are massively overreacting! I mean really?! Surely there are far more important things to get het up over? As people have said:

The suffix orexia means appetite for

People cannot spend their lives constantly pussy footing around others. Anorexia is a terrible disorder but it does not mean that 'orexia' should be solely attributed to it. People talk about butchering language, in cases like this I realise how close we are to losing any link we have to ancient languages, in case of 'offending' others.

[lljkk]

Thanks for the explanation, RepeatAdN !
I think given that explanation, there's no reason to take offence.

Bonde-addict would make more sense if they wanted something silly, though.

[AdeleDazeem]

Linguistically speaking, if 'orexia' means 'an appetite' then someone who is 'tanorexic' simply has an appetite for tans. A 'blondorexic' would have an appetite for blonde.

But, would a 'blondorexic' have an appetite for blonde people, or for the state of being blonde? Presumably the latter. Also, in both cases, you'd have to take 'has an appetite for' as 'likes' rather than 'has a (literal) hunger for'. A bit of poetic licence.

This is the problem with making up words. How do you decide? Well, common usage. Whatever meaning the majority assign to a word or phrase will become the meaning. Which is how the word 'literally' is now in the dictionary with a definition which is the opposite of what the word means.

[mrsfuzzy]

seems a a storm in a bleaching cap to me, i have bi polar and i'm a bit of a head case sometimes. lighten up, er sorry, sense of humour.

[DocHollywood]

I thought -phile and -phobe covered love and hate pretty well but perhaps these terms are considered old-fashioned now.

[littlejohnnydory]

YANBU, it's bad and the term "anorexia" has been bastardised a lot - tanorexic, pregorexic, etc etc. It trivialises the illness and especially when related to appearance - the hair lightener and tanning products, etc.

The difference is, McT (thanks for that piece of brillaint satire) is that laryngitis is not widely misunderstood, stigmatised, trivialised and underdiagnosed with sometimes fatal consequences. And that the "Monday-itis" doesn't contribute to stigma and belittling of those with the condition. HTH.

Good point about -aholic, which I hadn't thought of and probably isn't great either.

[Sparklingbrook]

Overthinking IMO.

[RepeatAdNauseum]

Kennington was right with:

"It's greek
The suffix orexia means appetite for

An means without
Hence anorexic means without appetite
I think linguists will be along in a minute and be more precise".

That's how they made the word. It does make linguistic sense.

[AliceScarlett]

I don't see what is "pro-ana" about it?

[McT123]

I have laryngitis which means that my larynx is inflamed - every time I see or hear people using the suffix "itis" incorrectly E.g. "i Have Mondayitis" to mean that they don't like Mondays, it is a real trigger for me.

[icelollycraving]

It wouldn't occur to me for this to be offensive. It's just a bit of nonsense.

[MistressMerryWeather]

Klayden. :o

Nope, you must get terribly over excited.

[AuntyMag10]

I never would have thought anorexic. Seriously calm down and don't overanalyze it.

[Klayden]

Can you not dislike something while being perfectly calm?

[maxxytoe]

for god sake , calm down

[MistressMerryWeather]

Is that what it's called? Really?

[crustsaway]

Id not really get my hair off about it

I often say a term that depicts something in a stronger sense. I say I have OCD sometimes. I say Im a work-holic sometimes. I say I have ADHD sometimes.

It's called having a sense of humour.

[AudiR8]

It is definitely distasteful but not something I would complain about to be honest.

[WayneRooneysHair]

I suspect that it's trying to be funny, I'd complain.

[Klayden]

Manic depression isn't even a diagnosis anymore and at least the term means something.

[Klayden]

Tanorexic is not only offensive but it's stupid and makes no sense. It's meant to mean addicted to tanning? It doesn't mean that!