Woody AllenWriter. Director. Actor.Though it has never been explicitly stated that three-time Oscar winner Woody Allen is on the Autism Spectrum, both Allen himself and various experts seem to agree that that’s likely the case. The writer, director, actor, and musician is well known for his quirky ways. As Allen has stated, “I am a neurotic in a more benign way. I mean, I have a lot of neurotic habits. I don’t like to go into elevators, I don’t go through tunnels, I like the drain in the shower to be in the corner and not in the middle.”
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Dan AykroydProducer. Actor. Writer.As a child, comedy legend Dan Aykroyd was expelled from two different schools before anyone realized that he had mild Asperger’s Syndrome. Since his diagnosis, Aykroyd has been vocal and honest about his experiences on the Autism Spectrum. According to the Oscar-nominated actor and writer, Asperger’s even helped Aykroyd develop his famous Ghostbusters character.
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Temple GrandinScientist. Activist. Animal Behaviorist.Those who have taken the time to learn about autism are sure to know the name Temple Grandin. Grandin, a professor at Colorado State University and a prolific author, did not begin speaking until she was nearly four years old. When she was diagnosed with Autism as a child, it was recommended she be institutionalized. Fortunately, her parents thought otherwise. Since her diagnosis, Grandin has become a leading force in the animal sciences, has produced an award-winning biopic about her life, and was even named as one of TIME Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People.”
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Abraham LincolnStatesman. Lawyer. United States of America's Sixteenth President.Using historical information, experts have studied Abraham Lincoln's past speeches and transcripts. They have discovered Lincoln suffered from depression. In addition, he also preferred a strict routine over spontaneity. Together with a few other factors, these things have led experts to believe that Lincoln too may have been on the autism spectrum..
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William "Bill" GatesSoftware Developer. Author. Philanthropist.Though it hasn’t been confirmed, autism experts seem to agree that there is a real possibility that Bill Gates is on the Autism Spectrum. They cite things like Gates’s habit of rocking while he concentrates, his short and monotone speech patterns, and the way in which he tends to avoid eye contact. Because these are all common characteristics of those on the Autism Spectrum, it seems very likely that the tech billionaire is in fact autistic.
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Emily DickinsonAmerican Lyric Poet.Emily Dickinson was a well-known American poet and wrote particularly unconventional poetry at the time. Unfortunately, it is often Dickinson’s difficulties that people write about when discussing her autism. She was in fact peculiar, never married and lived a more insular life. She also had epilepsy, but perhaps what was truly remarkable about Dickinson was the nature of her poetry. Did her unique mind shield her from pressures to conform with her writing? Perhaps the most important question to ask is- is it because of her autism that we have the body of work we have now? It’s too late to ask her, but Dickinson would want us to keep asking regardless: “the door should stay ajar,” she wrote. Perhaps she meant with regards to learning and in the case of Dickinson and her autism, perhaps we should keep our doors open to learning about autism.
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Page Information Sources
- Full Internet Movie Database
- Applied Behavior Analysis: History’s 30 Most Inspiring People on the Autism Spectrum
- Images are free stock images available online