Why So Many Autistic Women Were in Gifted Programs—And What That Means

Many late-diagnosed autistic women look back on their childhoods and recognize that being labeled as gifted was often a way their autism was overlooked. Instead of being identified as neurodivergent, their intelligence and deep interests were praised, while their struggles with social interactions, sensory sensitivities, and executive function were ignored. This pattern reveals systemic failures in autism recognition, highlighting the need for better understanding, support, and accommodations for neurodivergent children who are both gifted and autistic.