Growing up Autistic: Temple Grandin
One of my clients recently recommended I watch the movie about Temple Grandin’s life. I had heard of Temple Grandin and had a very basic understanding of her work with cattle and her advocacy regarding autism. I had no idea how informative and inspiring Temple’s life and work would be for me, and hopefully for all of you, dear readers.
First my thoughts on the movie (Temple Grandin, available to watch on Max):
Not only was the movie engaging with story and cinematic appearance, it appears to be highly accurate to Temple’s personal experience. I appreciated the cinematic depiction of Temple’s internal thought process the most. Movies that include characters with autism generally only depict the external expression in their behaviors but Temple Grandin lets you see Temple’s experience through her eyes and her mind.
The journey from recommendation for institutionalization as a young child to being a leading expert with a Ph.D. is inspiring, most of all because of Temple’s Mom’s determination to support her child the best way she knew how - with acceptance and love. Temple’s mother understood her daughter was different from many other children they encountered and needed different interventions, not to be isolated from society and ignored behind walls. She advocated for Temple’s access to education and unique interventions at every turn. She gave Temple access to a wide variety of experiences, including formal education as well as informal education and those experiences made all the difference for Temple.
Many children diagnosed with neurodivergent brains over the previous 60 years have been considered faulty or lacking somehow because the medical model pathologizes even natural human experiences. The neurodivergence movement was started by autistic people who want everyone, especially people with autism/autistics, to be accepted as equally worthy and capable as any other, because they are. I truly believe that every human that lives today, has ever lived, has a unique brain/mind due to a combination of genetic inheritance from parents and epigenetic changes from life experiences, whether privileged or traumatized or oppressed. Temple has continued to advocate for parents and educators to consider how a child learns through 4 basic methods rather than focusing on their diagnoses. While this model is a simplification, I appreciate the eradication of hierarchy, pathology, and shame.
More information about and from Temple Grandin:
Temple’s Official Website with many more resources on all of her work.
For anybody who is or has struggled with traditional formal education institutions, consider checking out alternatives like those linked below. Or if you’re an avid learner and just want to learn more, however your learn, check these out.
Non-Traditional Education Resources:
