Making her way through a sea of suit-wearing men and women at a reception Tuesday evening, the tall woman in the blue cowboy shirt and necktie was hard to miss. She moved easily through the crowd, shaking hands and making friendly small talk with dozens of guests in Youngstown State University’s Stambaugh Auditorium.
Schmoozing with strangers in an enclosed, noisy space is challenging enough for many neurotypical people, but for the autistic author, activist and animal welfare expert Temple Grandin, 63, it is a skill she has worked hard to learn, by rote, for decades.
Since Grandin’s first book, Emergence: Labeled Autistic, was published in 1986, mental health professionals, educators and animal scientists have spoken her name with admiration and awe. Then, last year, her inspiring story made its way into the hearts of the general public when HBO aired a made-for-television movie about her life, Temple Grandin, starring Claire Danes as Grandin.
The movie went on to win seven Emmy awards (including Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special - Mick Jackson, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie - Claire Danes, and Outstanding Made for Television Movie); and one Golden Globe award (Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television - Claire Danes).
In a nutshell, Grandin was diagnosed with autism in 1950, when little was known about the neurological disorder that impacts development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. She did not begin to speak until age three and a half, and doctors told her parents that she would ultimately end up in an institution.
Instead, thanks to help and guidance from her family and a few special teachers, Grandin was encouraged to develop her talent for structural design, along with her passion for, and insight into the psychology of animals – particularly cattle.
She’s now a leading expert in animal welfare and a professor of animal science at Colorado State University. She is known for designing humane livestock-handling equipment that is used on half of the U.S. cattle population, and she is highly respected for her expertise in the field of autism. Far from hyperbole, Grandin has changed the face of autism in America – and demystified the diagnosis – by providing valuable insight into the workings of her unique mind.
She has written (or co-written) more than a half dozen books, including Thinking in Pictures, The Way I See It: A Personal Look at Autism and Asperger's, Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior and Unwritten Rules of Social Relationships: Decoding Social Mysteries Through the Unique Perspectives of Autism.
In addition to teaching, writing and designing farming equipment, Grandin travels the country, sharing her story with millions of people whose lives have been impacted by autism. The self-proclaimed “geek” is a total rock star.
Last week, Grandin brought her oratory talents to Stambaugh Auditorium, thanks to support from the Paula and Anthony Rich Center for the Study and Treatment of Autism, on the Youngstown State University Campus. The Rich Center works to improve the lives of children on the autism spectrum through the use of innovative, individually designed educational programs.
More than 3,000 people turned out to listen to Grandin talk about sensory integration issues on the autism spectrum. OhioAuthority caught up with Grandin before she took the stage, and talked to her about life after Temple Grandin, and the universality of her life story.
