Inverse Cowgirl: A Memoir

by Alicia Roth Weigel

Overview

"One of the most brilliant thought leaders I have been able to share space with."—Jonathan van Ness, from the foreword

"The must-read memoir of fall 2023."—Them

"Powerful and vital."—Madeline Miller, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The Song of Achilles

From a celebrated activist on the forefront of fighting for intersex representation and rights—and a subject of the forthcoming documentary Every Body, from the filmmakers behind RBG—a funny, thought-provoking collection of essays about owning your identity and living your truth.

Two percent of the world’s population—the same percentage of humans who have naturally red hair—is born intersex. Yet many people aren’t even familiar with the word.

Intersex individuals are born with both male and female reproductive organs, yet many are stripped of their identity at birth when a parent designates M or F on a birth certificate. That subjective choice is often followed by invasive, life-changing surgeries, performed without the individual’s consent. Intersex people have become a target of politicians, attacked for who they are and threatened by legislation that attempts to categorize and define them.

Alicia Weigel is fighting back against the hate and fearmongering to protect the rights and lives of everyone. In this book, she boldly speaks out about working as a change agent in a state that actively attempts to pass legislation that would erase her existence, explores how we can reclaim bodily autonomy, and encourages us to amplify our voices to be heard.

Disarming, funny, charming, and powerful, this is a vital account of personal accomplishment that will open eyes and change minds.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063295285
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	09/19/2023
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	226,186
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.80(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Alicia Roth Weigel is a writer and activist working to improve the political and social landscape for marginalized populations in the South and worldwide through her firm, Intrepida Strategy. As a partner for the Pride Fund, Alicia is raising and deploying capital to grow LGBTQIA+-led companies in Texas and beyond. A Human Rights Commissioner for the City of Austin, she continually advocates for the rights of intersex people like her, work for which she was awarded the Ceci Gratias Guardian Award by the Austin LGBT Chamber of Commerce in 2019. Over the past decade, Alicia has helmed nonprofits and political campaigns and has held various marketing and business development roles in Brazil, Angola, South Africa, and throughout the US. Alicia is committed to fostering body autonomy and culturally competent healthcare for all. She has written for the New York Times, the Austin Chronicle, and Girls Globe, and has been featured in Austin Women, the Daily Mail, and Forbes, among many others. She lives in Austin, Texas.

Editorial Reviews

"At once a moving story of growing up intersex in America, and a passionate call for education and activism on behalf of the intersex community, Alicia Roth Weigel’s memoir is powerful and vital. Weigel’s voice shines with honesty, humor, courage, and hard-won wisdom. I am privileged to have been able to know her, and am so glad that this book will be in the world." — Madeline Miller, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The Song of Achilles

"In a society that continually reduces intersex existence to a theory or a metaphor, Inverse Cowgirl is a powerful intervention that affirms the dignity and full humanity of intersex people. With equal measure of heart and humor, Alicia Roth Weigel takes us on a trip from the personal to the political, establishing herself as an essential voice for autonomy and democracy." — ALOK, author of Beyond the Gender Binary

"Alicia is a force of nature, indeed. Shimmering with empathy, even for those who most mistreated her, Inverse Cowgirl charts a brave new course for the world. In one book, Alicia manages to singlehandedly shatter notions of sex, gender, and politics as we know them, clearing the way for a brighter, better, and more liberated future. Slip on your cow-them boots, hop on the justice pony, and get ready for one helluva ride, because this is not a book you can afford to miss." — Jacob Tobia, bestselling author of Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story

"Insightful, fierce, and candid, this book is a welcome addition to the growing body of personal accounts about living as a member of one of the most marginalized, silenced, and misunderstood of sexual minorities. ... An inspiring, eye-opening memoir that will educate many readers." — Kirkus Reviews

"The must-read memoir of fall 2023." — Them

From the Publisher

2023-06-15
An intersex advocate maps a journey from the closet to committed activism.

Diagnosed with complete androgen insensitivity syndrome as an infant, Weigel underwent nonconsensual surgeries (like the removal of internal testes) well before her first birthday. By resculpting her body, doctors and her parents hoped to help the author “pass” as a woman—albeit an infertile one—later on. Instead, Weigel became haunted by feelings of dissociation from childhood on. In her first book, the author traces her journey to physical reclamation by telling the stories behind the tattoos inked on her body. Her first essay revolves around a shoulder tattoo of an orchid. Derived from the Greek word for testicle, the orchid (as a symbol) represented Weigel’s excised testes, which resulted in postmenopausal symptoms by the time she reached kindergarten and forced her into permanent reliance on hormone replacement therapy. In the essay titled “Figa,” the author explores how a closed-fist tattoo acquired on one of her many travels around the world came to represent the “struggle for safety” that female-presenting bodies like hers too often experience in a world that victimizes not only sexual minorities, but anyone who deviates from the (racist, classist, patriarchal) “norm.” Another essay reflects on how going to Austin to help former Texas Sen. Wendy Davis train the next generation of female activists led her to work on the infamous Texas “bathroom bill.” That project led Weigel to a public coming out about her intersexuality, helped her forge life-changing alliances with intersex and trans activists, and inspired her to proclaim her presence to the world with a finger tattoo that reads “I ExyST.” Insightful, fierce, and candid, this book is a welcome addition to the growing body of personal accounts about living as a member of one of the most marginalized, silenced, and misunderstood of sexual minorities.

An inspiring, eye-opening memoir that will educate many readers.

Kirkus Reviews

Author Alicia Roth Weigel takes listeners through her life as an intersex person and her activism in a world that fears differences in sexuality. Born with both male and female reproductive organs, Weigel experienced life-changing surgery and procedures performed long before having the ability to consent. As an adult, she found a passion for politics and became an activist to fight for legislation to protect vulnerable populations. Weigel's powerful performance of her own audiobook allows her to share her genuine emotions while discussing some of the most challenging and transformative experiences of her life. Her charming performance aims to provide a personal look at the life of an intersex person and succeeds in being disarming, powerful, and ultimately beautiful. V.B. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine

OCTOBER 2023 - AudioFile