Born August 29, 1947 in Boston, Massachusetts. Her parents were Richard Grandin & Eustacia Cutler. When she was 2 years old, Temple was diagnosed with autism, which at the time was considered a type of brain damage. Her mother blamed doctors for her condition at first & devoted great effort to ensure Temple got the best treatment possible. Temple's treatment included speech therapy, which helped her learn communication skills that she'd retain to use in the rest of her life: Temple first spoke at the age of 4. Though her parents had sought the best teachers, Temple still struggled in middle & high school, where she was bullied by other students for her unusual speech patterns.
But Temple was able to overcome these challenges & attain admirable academic success. She earned a degree in psychology from Franklin Pierce College in 1970, followed by a master's degree in animal science from Arizona State University & a doctoral degree in animal science from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. After finishing her studies, Temple worked as a consultant with companies who ran large slaughterhouses, giving them advice on more humane ways of handling their cattle.
Temple gained international attention when she was featured in Oliver Sack's 1995 novel, An Anthropologist on Mars, the title was inspired by Temple's description of her experiences with social interactions. By this time, she had already made a name for herself amongst autism advocacy groups; she first spoke publicly about autism in the 1980's at the behest of a founder of the Autism Society of America. On top of her autism advocacy, Temple is well-known for her work in animal welfare, neurology & philosophy. In her book, "Animals are not Things", she argues that animals are property in modern society, which gives them some inherent rights under the law. Some of Temple's other books including, Animals in Translation & Animals Make us Human, were applauded by readers as well.
Her willingness to work with fast-food companies & other slaughterhouse owners is controversial amongst many animal rights activists. In her various books, she makes the argument that soothing the animals rather than preserving the lives of animals should be the main priority of their owners. Temple notes how domestic animals often suffer high levels of anxiety for extended periods of time without interactions from either humans or other animals, which sets an example for the neglect of animals in slaughterhouses & other such businesses.
As a high-functioning autistic person, Temple has been able to understand & tell her unconventional life more comprehensively. She has explained how her hypersensitivity to noise & other stimuli, makes socialization both difficult & tedious. Temple also considers herself a primarily visual thinker, who values verbal communication as of secondary importance. She credits her attention to detail & environmental changes for her intuition about the inner workings of cattle & other domestic animals.
Temple has also resolutely advocated for the education of autistic children, emphasizing early intervention including training educators, so each child's specific needs are met. She also promotes the concept of "neurodiversity", which describes how people interrelate with each other & experience the world around them in countless different ways; so therefore there is no one single cure for autism.
Temple has received recognition for her efforts, in 2009, she was named a fellow of the American Society of Agricultural & Biological Engineers. She has also received several honorary degrees & starred in a number of tv & radio programs. In 2010, HBO released a film called Temple Grandin, starring Claire Danes in the titular role. The film was nominated for 15 Emmys & won 5 including, Outstanding Made for TV Movie & Best Actress in a Drama for Claire's portrayal. Temple Grandin also won a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series/Motion Picture made for TV.
Throughout her life, Temple has expressed her lack of interest in emotional issues & relationships including fictional portrayals of interpersonal relationships. She remains unmarried with no children.
https://www.biography.com/activist/temple-grandin
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We Won't Stay Silent
Non-Fiction"We need women who are so strong they can be gentle, so educated they can be humble, so fierce they can be compassionate, so passionate they can be rational and so disciplined they can be free" ...
