Temple Grandin

Temple was born on August 29, 1947 in Boston, MA.  She was diagnosed with autism at a young age. Back then there were not very many people that were diagnosed with autism and not much was known about what to do with them.  As a result, there were still a lot of questions for people that were not aware of people with disabilities on how they should be treated. She was one of a kind and stood out in many ways.  Yes, she was very different and did not do things the way most others did.  However, she found the way that worked for her to overcome these obstacles so she could find her way to become as successful as she could.  She accepted her challenges and was not afraid to ask for help.

Some of the most important people that gave Temple her best encouragement were her family and teachers, especially her high school teacher that would become her biggest fan.  He saw something in Temple and believed she was going to do big things in life. And his prediction came true as she went on to become one of the few people with a disability to continue on with their education after high school.

For most people, whether or not they had a disability it was rare that they went on to college. The fact that she had a disability made her stand out even more. In 1970 she graduated from Franklin Pierce College/University with a bachelor’s degree in Human Psychology and a master’s degree in in Animal Science in 1975 from Arizona State University.  She then went on to receive her Doctorate in Animal Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1989.  She holds many titles because she was not afraid failing trying other ways to what was suggested for her.  Today she continues to make fight for awareness for people with disabilities and has a big interest in animal rights movement.

To most people all these milestones may not be a big deal but for people with disabilities it is a big deal.  Temple was able to accomplish these during an era that not many people where identifying with diagnoses of a disability with the proper supports.  There were not any programs that where developed in schools and the right to hold a job. She overcame these obstacles at a time when people with disabilities where almost invisible and that shows a lot of what she stands for. 

We Label Jars, Not People !!

When you think of the words “handicapped” and “disability” what do you think of ?  And, if you were talking to a kid, how would you explain it ?  The first thing that might come to mind may be a wheelchair or a walker, because you can see it.  It is the most visible thing.  As a young kid growing up, you view the world how you see it.  Most things that are dangers, but you are protected by adults like family and friends.

As a kid you are not going to understand certain things. they need to be broken down so that they are easier to understand.  So how can you make people understand things in an easier way when questions begin to be asked?  And you know things are going to be asked.  But, how do you explain to the other person who might not have certain challenges, that they are not different than you.

Just because a person is handicapped does not mean that they are useless and are not able to do anything.  Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses even if they have no handicapped at all.  But then again, what does it mean that someone has a handicap?  According to online definitions, it means having a condition that markedly restricts one's ability to function physically, mentally, or socially.  So that means that if you were qualified under any of those things you were not considered normal and where not expected to do much?  Sad, right?

That’s why when the curious questions are asked by young kids when they start noticing things about their peers, it is important to educate them.  But still, break it down, like how there are many different things that can make a person, there are some people who might think that as long as you do not see it, that it does not exist.  Handicap does not necessarily have to be a thing that is seen, it might be something that is invisible like a learning disability.  You may not be able to physically see that unless you look very close.

Then imagine if you were in a situation where most people could not look at you and see the challenge that you have, the limitations just by looking quickly . . . hum, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.  Because no one like to be the one to put their flaws first, usually when you meet someone you say, “Hey, how are you?” and then move on without focusing on the things that you cannot do.  Then, the second that people start to notice, there comes, “Oh can I help you with that?”  Sometimes their help turns into more of them doing things for you.  Trust me when I say no one wants to feel like their weaknesses are going to keep them from achieving the things that they are capable of.  It can be very discouraging when you know you are capable of getting the job done but things are required to be done at such a fast pace.

For most people that are handicapped or disabled, they will most likely have to work two or more jobs to make up for their full-time hours.  They also have to watch out because there are things that come into consideration, especially when you have a permanent diagnosis and proof of a disability.  By law, they have to give you service, that service includes Social Security income.  There are pros and cons just like many things, but most people don’t realize that being in the system can also limit you to several things.  There is a cap of hours and how much money that you are allowed to make before buying your benefits.   Everyone’s decision needs to be what best suits their own individual needs.

Let Freedom Ring

On July 4,1776, the Declaration of Independence was approved and among the men that signed it had a disability.  When signed his name he said out loud “My hand may tremble but my heart does not”.   Do you know which of those men was the one that had the privilege of representing the future people that would have disabilities? It was Stephen Hopkins.  Since that time, almost 300 years later, there have been more improvements and laws passed.  Although most of the progress did not happen until centuries later, it still was a small look at what was to come.

People with disabilies back in those where normal, it was because most did not know and where not labeled with a diagnosis. Imagine a world without labels! Oh what a world that it would be. It might even be judgment free and everyone’s weakness would be there stretches!   Hum… instead of people being treated like they were nothing, they would be treated as if they were something. In a perfect world that may have happened.

Like most things, change takes time to evolve sometimes there are negive outcomes before a positive can be seen.  There was one point in time that if you were out in the open with a disability that meant you were put into institutions where each capability was at a different level based on how severe your disability was. Any form of education was out of the question. Especially in the public.   Most where home schooled so they could get as close to a proper education as possible.

Fast forward to almost 200 year’s latter. There started to be laws passed about people with disabilies finally having the right to a good education. The act was call the IDEA   It was started because two parents did not feel like it was right that their children were being deprived of their rights to an education. There was also a famous and influential family where disability rights hit close to home. They were the Kennedy’s from Brookline Massachusetts. Patricia, Jean, Kathleen, Joseph Jr, Ted, Robert, John and Eunice had a sister Rose who was mentally retarded but they treated her no different than they treated each other.  There were always things that they saw that made her different from the rest., Rose loved sports but due to her challenges she was unable to play sports with her peers other than at home with family members.

Eunice took note of that and came up with an idea. What if there was a camp so that Rose could feel like she was not alone and that there were others that are in the same shoes as her.  Then they could all feel a part off the community. Eunice took her ideas and would start a summer camp for people with disabilities in 1962 called Camp Shiver. From that camp would later become one of the biggest organizations for people with special needs. Most of us know it was the Special Olympics and the first games where held in 1968 and have expanded ever since to people around the world.

During that time, Eunice was not the only one in her family to achieve big accomplishments in the family.  Her brother John F. Kennedy was elected president and he also was the youngest elected at that time. He had a lot of potential to offer the world.  Unfortunately his time in office was cut short when he was killed in the middle of his term.  But his hard work was not overlooked. After his passing, Lyndon B. Johnson took over and made sure that the things that John had started would be completed. One of those being the Social Security Act of 1965.  It would allow people that were not able to work or who may never be able to have some sort of income and health care. Then a few decades later in 1990.  President George H. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act that allowed people with disabilities to have opportunities to have a job and make some money on their own and among other things be more welcomed in their communities.

That was over 25 years ago it is now 2016 and there are many things that we have overcome but yet there are still a long way to go. Change can be scary. Change can be good too. They are considering closing all the sheltered workshops.  Great!  More people will now be in the community working!  Oh but wait, what about all those people that may not last in a competitive environment?  What’s going to happen if they are not able to hold a completive job? Don’t they have the right to make their own money? If all that is infect going to happen there are going to be a lot of people that will be having their jobs took from them and left with a lot unaswered questions. A big peace of what makes them feel independent is taken away.  While money is not everything, there is a good feeling from all the hard work when you accomplice but when that something is no longer there it is almost like taking your freedom and independence away.