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Inverse Cowgirl

A Memoir

ebook
0 of 2 copies available
Wait time: About 3 weeks
0 of 2 copies available
Wait time: About 3 weeks

"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.

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    • Kirkus

      July 15, 2023
      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.

      COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

    • Booklist

      September 22, 2023
      Activist Weigel details her experiences at the forefront of the intersex movement. Her narrative is interspersed with her efforts heading nonprofits for marginalized and underrepresented populations, participating in political campaigns, and combatting harmful legislation. Starting with the unnecessarily risky and invasive medical procedure as an infant to make her appear more "normal," Weigel recounts how her intersex identity shaped her experiences into adulthood. This collection of essays--all predominantly centered around personal power, identity, and bodily autonomy--adds important discourse on the struggles, preconceived notions, and joys that come with being intersex. Where Weigel, unfortunately, falls short is in her ability to connect to readers who do not share in her background of financial privilege and self-asserted "prettiness." While this memoir brings light to the seldom acknowledged hardships of and discrimination against intersex individuals, parts of Weigel's essays read as out of touch and poorly edited. Nevertheless, intersex individuals and readers hoping to broaden their understanding of this underrepresented identity will appreciate the opportunity to follow along with this activist's journey.

      COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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  • English

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