This shift reveals practical insights that traditional approaches miss. Fields that specialize in studying communication, like linguistics and intercultural communication theory, understand that real communication thrives not on assimilation or masking, but on concrete interactional skills like:

• Transparency about different styles and needs rather than hiding or guessing

• Context-checking instead of making assumptions about what others want or expect

• Repair that acknowledges breakdowns as normal and fixable, not personal failures

• Negotiability that treats communication norms as something we create together, not fixed rules

• Mutual adaptation where everyone adjusts to make it work, not just one person

When we recognize that gifted and autistic people think, process, and express themselves in fundamentally different ways—and that these differences are sophisticated and purposeful, rather than deficits—we can develop communication skills that actually work for everyone involved.

I'm fascinated by the questions this opens up: How do different neurotypes create meaning together? Can neurodivergent people become skillful at being different in communication? What happens when we apply intercultural competency to cross-neurotype communication?

These aren't just academic questions—they're invitations to relearn how we connect with each other, and how we can use communication as a more effective catalyst for creating belonging, equal access, justice, and neurodivergent thriving.