I keep seeing posts splashing the word “neuro-spicy” across LinkedIn like it’s a new craft-beer flavour. Cute, sure – but is it helpful, or is it another glib tag that lets the rest of the world dodge the gritty bits of being neurodivergent? Let’s poke this beast with a skeptical stick and see what crawls out.

Neurodivergent Pride – and Its PR Problem

First, a cheerful reality check: recognising you’re autistic, ADHD, dyslexic, dyspraxic or any combo thereof can feel like someone finally handed you the manual to your own brain. The neurodiversity movement has ridden that wave all the way to primetime. We’ve got Lucy Bronze crediting her autism-ADHD laser-focus for her football obsession, Made by Dyslexia selling “dyslexic thinking” as the next big hiring criterion, and every second HR department sprouting a “Neurodiversity Network” because – well – hashtags.

But pride comes with a marketing department now, and slogans come cheaper than adjustments. If you don’t question the shiny bit, you’re liable to miss the rust underneath.

“Neuro-Spicy” – Light-hearted or Lightweight?

The term burst out of TikTok, Tumblr and enamel-pin Etsy shops: “I’m neuro-spicy.” The idea? A brain with extra kick – a jalapeno in a sea of mild cheddar. For many, it’s a relief. Saying “I’m a bit neuro-spicy” in the pub lands softer than “I’m autistic with moderate support needs, thanks for asking.” Humour can be armour.

Yet plenty of autistic and ADHD folk flinch. If the label only fits people whose difficulties are “cute” enough for Instagram, then those dealing with daily meltdowns, executive-dysfunction avalanches or school exclusions get shoved back into the shadows. As consultant and autistic researcher Dr Hannah Belcher notes, the second you sanitise disability, you lure policy-makers into thinking accommodations are optional extras. Banter is lovely; invisibility isn’t.

So, does the word include the tough bits, or is it just seasoning? Does it help some but dismiss others? This ultimately comes down to individuals, and is a good reminder that if you have met one neurodivergent person, you have met… one neurodivergent person.