Temple Grandin

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I think sometimes Temple oversimplifies things in ways both favorable and
unfavorable to autistics, but of course, concrete thinking IS core to
autism. In an article on the autism rights movement by New York Magazine, for example, she talks about preventing
some autistic people whereas she sometimes makes it seem like everyone in
Silicon Valley is on the spectrum (higher tendency, but not true, and many
smart autistic people don't like or are not good with technology).


Maybe Temple doesn't realize that if the genetics of people with different
"forms" of autism are ever understood, it's still most likely that the first
test(s) will be offered when people still couldn't discriminate between
"severe" and "high-functioning" autism reliably (if this is even a worthy
goal for society). I think non-verbal autistic people with particularly
challenging behaviors tend to be very difficult to understand and parent,
but are often much smarter and more competent than people realize, but need
appropriate social and research attention for people to see their abilities.

Temple herself didn't speak until age 4 or so and stared sometimes at
grains of sand for hours or otherwise shut out the world because of sensory
issues. Certainly without the right support and perseverance from her mother
Temple would not only have not developed into a leader in the animal
husandry and autism fields, but also would have been institutionalized. I
think, in sometimes less dramatic ways, many other autistic people are not
provided with the opportunities they need, and even though a minority may
have intellectual disabilities (whether core to or co-occurring with their
autism), I don't think that means people have less value and dignity.
Usually the "behaviors" result from sensory, motor, or communication
challenges, or some combination thereof, rather than enjoying them for their
own sake (and if someone seems to get reinforcement for the behaviors, that
does not mean they are "natural" for the person, but it may relate to the
responses they get and how they are treated).

^ I so agree.

I've never met her personally and she hasn't done anything overly offensive towards me, but I am not really her biggest fan. I disagree with some of her opinions.

The one that I disagree with the most is the fact that she says people with autism think like animals and can really relate to them. I personally feel very afraid around animals, except cats and she is claiming that autistic people are really good with animals. I am actually kind of offended by this, it just seems like something that could be used as an excuse for people to treat us like animals.

Also, I don't think in pictures, so find it kind of hard to relate to her and don't experience much sensory overload, I do, a little bit, but it's not a really big problem.

PS: It seems like people with autism HAVE to like her. Again, I don't hate her, I am just very different than her.

that isnt true!! !! She advocates HUMANE slaughter!! ! Watch the movie about her.

slaughtering cattle is always going to be a part of society. she completely revolutionized the method for the slaught of cattle in order to make it more humane to the animals out of love for animals. therefore i believe you are completely off base with that assumption. temple grandin is an amazing individual!! !

ROFL @ the concept of "humane slaughter".



Let's take a captive bolt gun to your head and see how you feel about it.

As animal processing plants tends to be one of my smaller obsessions, I have some knowledge of them. Plus I've read some of Grandin's cattle handling papers, so I've seen what she advises.

What the captive bolt gun actually does, is render an animal unconscious immediately. They are completely knocked out for a while, and thus are insensate to whatever happens later. During this time they bleed the animal, and properly done it never regains consciousness.

Years ago, animal cruelty used to be quite commonplace, as they didn't have any of the newer innovations to keep animals calm or unconscious during their last moments. They were often beaten when they panicked, dragged when they slipped and fell, and dismembered alive because the operators were too stressed and rushed and they had a quota to meet.

Now there may be still some animal cruelty cases that go on still, but these compared to then are a lot less, and when they happen, they are reported and the offenders get punished. Plus many store and restaurant chains have vowed to not buy from plants known to employ abhorrent practices.

It's not like it was years ago.

I eat cows. I do it infrequently because cows are an inefficient, even wasteful, way to produce food and for health reasons. When I eat cows, I do not feel guilty. Killing an animal is not murder. However, no living thing should suffer needlessly. If Temple Grandin can keep that from happening, I approve. I also like her writing and work in advocacy and "translation."

I think she is awesome!

Killing an animal is murder.

Eating only herbs, veggies and the alike is inhuman. If we were not made to also eat meat our bodies would reject it. Each living thing has its place and sometimes that is my and others bellies. Some folks should look into the Native American ways of viewing animal eating.

When people first began to eat meat the practice was so barbaric that it would make any normal person want to throw up. But now the practice is so mainstream that people think it is normal to eat meat.

You should read more of her books. She does not say that all Autistics think as prey animals she says that "she" does. She also talks about the different ways that Autistics "think" and that not all are visual thinkers like she is.
Also I do understand the anger toward anyone involved in animal slaughter, however Temple being a logical person realizes that the only way she can help these creatures is to make their inevitable end easier on them. She understands their feelings and she also understands that people are not going to stop slaughter livestock so what she is doing is the only thing she can do. You can become vegan and protest but people are still going to eat meat so logically we as non meat eaters should try to help to find a way to make this less and better. One of the ways is for more people to become vegan and or vegetarian and find better more humane ways to treat animals raised as food. I have to commend Temple for trying to make a change even if I do not agree with animal slaughter.
Aside from all of that Temple has given a positive "face" to Autism. Where as the media and even parents on youtube want to depict Autism as a horrible terrible disease that steals your children from you and show children screaming and having meltdowns. This is the image that some people have of people with Autism so Temple has given them another image an image of an Autistic person who can function well and make a difference in the world, this is a strong statement against all the negativity.

Ummm actually there is a belief that killing people humanly is possible. Ever hear of the coup de grace? I believe dutch law provides for the 'hastening of death'.

I think shes an amazing woman. BUT, I almost feel like NT's want me to idolize her...and THAT is what I dont like about her. (if that even makes sense).

I appreciate her way of thinking and her ability to speak to others about autism. However, I think its important to remember she is still one person and that her opinions are just that...opinions.

I think her parents wealth helped in getting her to where she is. While that is great, it makes her experiences different than many of us. Just as Hillary Clinton cannot be the voice of every white woman in America, Temple Grandin cannot be the voice of every person on the spectrum. As long as that is remembered, I am able to think very highly of her. Unfortunatly, I encounter many NT's who cannot understand that each person on the spectrum is unique and feel every word that comes out of Temples mouth is true for everyone with ASD.

I have aspergers and 2 of my 3 daughters have been diagnosed with ASD. I have heard from too many NT people how "Temple said _________". Thats no fault of Temples though...my issue with her is really an issue with ignorant NT's.

She is a professor at a University.

You know, you can't compare a sudden degradation of individual rights leading up to genocide to raising animals for food. They're very different animals. Especially when Temple Grandin was helping to create humane cattle drives. [I.E. They are less painful than other methods {if they are painful at all}, the animals aren't spooked or frightened.] Most cattle runs use her design these days. It did promote efficiency, which is how she was able to "sell" the design to the livestock industry.

She did this as a woman in a traditionally male line of work, and as an autistic person in a traditionally neurotypical world. So I would say she is very admirable.