Painting Of Proud Asexual and Autism Activist, Temple Grandin, Now On View At Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery

Featured Image: Brocken Spectre and Glory: Portrait of Temple Grandin, Oil on canvas, by David Lenz (2022); courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

On Saturday, Nov. 15, the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery presented the 2025 Portrait of a Nation Awards to four individuals who have made “transformative contributions to American history and culture.” Temple Grandin, distinguished professor at Colorado State University, groundbreaking researcher of animal science and autism activist, was among them.

“Each of the 2025 honorees were selected for their ingenuity and ability to transform their respective fields,” Rhea L. Combs, the gallery’s director of curatorial affairs told Smithsonian magazine in advance of the presentations. “By presenting their portraits, and the creativity of the artists behind them, we hope to inspire others to envision their personal power and move the needle of history in their own way.”

“When I look at the names being honored tonight — Jamie Dimon, Joy Harjo, and Steven Spielberg — I’m reminded that success comes in many forms,” Grandin said at the event. “Each of them represents a different kind of mind: a business mind, a poetic mind, a storytelling mind, and a visual, problem-solving mind. Together, they show that innovation happens when diverse thinkers bring their strengths to the table.”

Dr. Temple Grandin portrait. Photo credit: Kelly Buster.

Many first heard of Temple Grandin by way of her 1995 bestselling book, Thinking in Pictures: My Life With Autism. It was groundbreaking at the time, providing an inside narrative from the perspectives of both a scientist and an autistic person. Grandin translates both spoken and written words “into full-color movies, complete with sound” which run like a video in her mind.

Her unique brand of perception includes “understanding animal thought” which has proven a tremendous advantage in her work as a designer for the livestock industry. A renowned expert on cattle psychology, the equipment she invents takes into account the sensory experiences and welfare of animals with humane treatment at the core. She has designed corrals for ranchers, veterinary chutes, and one-third of all livestock handling facilities in the United States with the goal of decreasing the fear, stress and pain that animals experience in slaughterhouses.

Now age 78, Grandin came of age during a time when society had limited understanding about the autism spectrum. She has been an advocate for early intervention for autistic people – for identifying symptoms in young children, and recognizing characteristics like sensory processing issues and social interaction challenges so that effective support strategies can be put into place to improve outcomes.

The LGBTQIA+ community proudly celebrates Grandin as one of our own: the A for “asexuality” being one of many stripes on our broad inclusive rainbow. 

Grandin self-describes as “celibate” and has been quoted as saying that celibacy was initially a practical choice made as a teenager. “When I was in boarding school, they were very concerned about the girls getting pregnant,” she said in a New York Times interview. “And I found that if I could be absolutely trusted not to run off with the fellas in the bushes, then I could kind of get some extra privileges, like fly my kite up on the hill or ride my horse down in the pasture without having to have a staff member present.”

In her chapter, “Dating Data,” Grandin wrote about choosing celibacy in adulthood. She has said that she has never dated, and also that she finds such interactions too complex to deal with. When Oliver Sacks asked in an interview what she imagined falling in love to be like, she responded, “Maybe it’s like swooning—if not that, I don’t know.”

While there are some who have written that her path fuels stereotypes about autistic people, Grandin is unapologetically herself. She simply does not need, and does not want, to have romantic relationships and her choices have always been only hers to make.

As for being autistic, “If I could snap my fingers and be non-autistic, I would not,” she said once at a lecture. “Autism is part of who I am.” 

“I wouldn’t want to give up my ability to see in beautiful, precise pictures. I believe in them,” she has written.

Grandin’s story was depicted in the feature film “Temple Grandin” starring Claire Daines, and a new documentary, “An Open Door,” is now streaming.

Honorees (Jamie Dimon, Temple Grandin, Steven Spielberg, and Joy Harjo), Nov. 15, 2025. Photo courtesy of Smithsonian Institution