Autism is a very complex disorder. It can make people extremely talented in certain areas, but it can also be something that hinders their social skills a bit. These ten people have broken down barriers for people with Autism and continue to inspire a generation of people. Whether it be through art, science, or math, these people made significant contributions to the world, despite their situation.
These are the top ten most inspiring people with Autism from my perspective.
10. Temple Grandin:
Temple Grandin is one of the most well-known intellectuals and animal rights activists in modern history, who revolutionized discoveries in the human treatment of livestock. She was diagnosed officially with Autism as an adult, but she was self-diagnosed when she was a teenager. Throughout middle and high school, she has to deal with a nightmare of teasing and name-calling, which went as far as her getting expelled at 14 for throwing a book at a student. Throughout her life, she was able to show the naysayers who was boss through her
accomplishments. This makes her a very inspiring figure on this list.
9. Isaac Newton:
Sir Isaac Newton is a pioneer in science and is responsible for the laws of motion and the discovery of gravity, among other things. But many do not know that he is actually one of the most earliest examples of someone being on the autism spectrum in history. Some of Newton’s symptoms included rarely speaking to people, having few friends, and still giving lectures in his classes even if the room was empty. But despite these struggles, the scientist still succeeded in his endeavors. That makes him another inspiring person.
8. Albert Einstein:
Einstein is another iconic scientist who was diagnosed as being on the Autism spectrum. The revolutionary scientist exhibited several symptoms of Autism spectrum disorder, such as being a loner and repeating sentences during his early childhood. He was also very outspoken on various political issues. Despite these struggles, he was still able to make significant contributions to modern science, including the iconic E=MC^2 formula. This makes him another no brainer on our list.
7. Daryl Hannah:
Hannah is well known for playing mermaid Madison in Splash and is one of the most inspiring people on this list. Her symptoms include shyness. She actually hid her diagnoses from film executives for a while before she decided that Autism was a gift and she was going to embrace it. She is still embracing her gift today and kicking a lot of butt. This makes her not only one of the most inspiring people on this list, but a top choice.
6. Dan Ackroyd:
Ackroyd is one of the world’s most famous comedians and is the first celebrity with Autism to host Saturday Night Live. He was diagnosed in the 1980s after his wife told him to see someone. His symptoms include an obsession with ghosts and law enforcement and a heightened sense of creativity. His Autism has actually helped him write the Ghostbusters franchise. This definitely makes him a great choice for our list.
5. Tim Burton:
Burton is well known for his Nightmare Before Christmas movie and is a pioneer of the goth culture. His symptoms of autism include not doing great in social situations and an obsession with film culture. Although he’s never been diagnosed formally, he exhibits all of these symptoms. However, he is still able to win Golden Globes and Emmys in filmmaking. This makes him number five on our list.
4. Fredrich Nietzsche:
This is a lesser known figure, but he is still a very inspiring figure on this list. Fredrich Nietzsche was a philosopher and author from Germany who revolutionized the idea of eternal recurrence. His symptoms of Autism include thinking for himself and the neglect of herd morality. Despite these struggles, he was still able to revolutionize multiple philosophical methods. This makes him the fourth choice on this list.
3. Greta Thunberg:
Thunberg is the youngest entry on our list and is proudly embracing what she calls her “superpower”. The 21-year-old climate change activist has Autism, OCD, and mutism. Her symptoms include an obsession with climate change. Despite her three diagnoses, she is still able to help make change in the world. This makes her another top choice as an inspiring figure.
2. Bill Gates:
Gates is the founder of Microsoft and one of the most successful technology businessmen in the world. But many don’t know that he is rumored to have Autism spectrum disorder. His
symptoms include a hyper focus on certain projects, his attention to detail on things, and his disability to engage in small talk. What makes him inspiring is that, despite all of this, he not only has a successful technology company, but he is a very prominent philanthropist. This makes him number two on our list.
1. Courtney Love:
For our top spot on our list, we have the one and only Courtney Love. Love is the lead singer of Hole and a successful actress who went through a lot, which included Autism. She lost her husband, struggled with addiction, was harassed by the press, and went through several lawsuits during her time. Yet, she was still able to become one of the biggest stars in rock music. That makes her the number one most inspiring person with Autism.
Kadin is a college student, writer, and activist who is on a mission to help people better understand Autism. Throughout his life, he was told he wouldn’t be successful because he was on the spectrum. But time and time again, he proved the naysayers wrong. His goal in life is to inspire people with his story and help bring attention to Autism in the world.
