“Neurospicy” is used to describe multiply neurodivergent people or groups. Neurospicy can be used to avoid disclosure of diagnosis and as a way to resist medical functioning labels. However, neurospicy dismisses the disabled experiences of many neurodivergent people. The term also objectifies global majority women due to racial-sexist undertones.

Where did “neurospicy” originate?

“Neurospicy” emerged in neurodivergent conversations online in the early 2020s. There is no identified originator for this term so it could be considered community-created. The term was created to half-jokingly combat the medical term “mild autism” and appears to be used mostly by Autistic individuals who may also be ADHD and have mental health differences.

Does “neurodivergent” work better?

Kassiane Asasumasu coined “neurodivergent” in the late 1990s / early 2000s to include as many people, identities and embodiments as possible. This term makes the neurodiversity movement stronger and more inclusive (What comes under the neurodivergent umbrella?).

Neurodivergent works better as a term as it avoids euphemisms which can undermine the (dis)ability and autonomy of neurodivergent people. The term could be used by many people and should not be used to simply mean “Autistic and ADHD (and maybe dyslexia if we fancy it).”

Neurospicy lends itself to terms such as “differently abled” “diff-ability” and “special”, words which do not help the liberation of disabled and neurodivergent people. These words are often created and used by non-Disabled people to make our experiences, lives and bodyminds more acceptable and easier to ignore.

Using a term that sounds cute further infantilises us, which further stigmatises, especially neurodivergent people who cannot speak using mouth words or live independently.

Racist-sexist concerns with “neurospicy”

The word “spicy” has been used to fetishise women from African, Asian, and Latin American backgrounds. Despite the word’s intended playfulness, the use of neurospicy can trigger racial trauma, and when applied to neurodivergent people from the global majority, can compound intersecting marginalisation. The term can diminish someone’s neurocognitive style, culture, and racialised background.

As BlackSpectrumScholar shared on Threads: “I find the term “neurospicy” offensive to Black and Brown neurodivergent folks because it reinforces stereotypes that sexualize and exoticize us as “spicy” and reduce us to caricatures—fiery, passionate, or overly sensual—based on race or ethnicity.” (see their thread and follow their work here).

Final thoughts

I appreciate that “neurospicy” was created from the tenacity and creativity of neurodivergent people and spaces, however, it is not a term I would use for myself or others. It has the power to do more harm than good and my love for all neurodivergent people is more important. Using inclusive terminology creates safer spaces for all neurodivergent people and I think that is what most of us are pushing for.