I really wanted to love this one. I love all thd work Alicia Roth Weigel does - but the tone of the book was so self important. I did not like the way she spoke about other cultures.

If you are looking to learn more about gender identity and the experience of intersex people, this is the book for you. Weigel, an intersex person and activist, shares her personal and professional experiences. I truly enjoyed her musings about bodily autonomy and how an individual can impact societal change. Inverse Cowgirl is a book that should be present in any LGBTQIA+ collection as it shines light on the complexity of intersex identity unlike any other book I have come across.

The amount of love I have for this title is up there. With a combination of humor and directness, Alicia brings readers into the world of intersex awareness and activism. Highly recommend, for literally everyone.

I appreciate the author being willing to give an inside look into being intersex. I learned a lot of new information, and if I should have a intersex child down the road, I know to avoid the gender surgery as it can cause way more issues to the baby as they grow into a child and an adult.

If you enjoy more blog like type posts, this essayist book is the one for you. The author puts a lot of disclaimers or hints to things that they won’t talk about. At some points, I just wish they didn’t mention what they wouldn’t talk about and focus more on what they are willing to talk about and craft it more.

While I found the beginning intro to intersex people to be interesting and how the choice she wasn't able to make as a child followed her through her life, this author read pretty weird multiple times. Often she came off racist or weird around sentences she made about people of other races. It didn't sit well with me.

4/5 stars. Incredibly accessible for me to read, very easy to get through, which I loved. Towards the ending it was a little more preach-y than memoir-y and I didn't take away as much, but altogether a good read.

A really deep and interrogative collection of essays that is both beautiful and and incredibly thought-provoking. I really enjoyed, and am glad to stock this in my queer feminist bookstore!

Roth Weigel is an intersex activist living in Austin, Texas. Soon after she was born, her body was mutilated. Her body didn’t fit certain ideas of gender, so the doctors changed her body to fit the norms. Years later, she is still dealing with the consequences of that decision. At age 32, she was diagnosed with osteoporosis due to insufficient healthcare.

But there’s more to her than that. She also travels the world, meets lots of cool people, and gets a bunch of tattoos. She realizes she has bipolar disorder in her twenties. She writes earnestly about all aspects of her life, including her political advocacy work in Texas. The second half of the book does get slightly preachy (coming from someone who agrees with most everything she says) but that probably makes sense since she often has to lecture the Texas Legislature on very basic human rights.

My biggest takeaway is that the state of healthcare for intersex people is absolutely horrific. Besides the widespread instances of genital mutilation- because they’re invisible in many ways, doctors have no clue how to treat them. Roth Weigel often has to fly thousands of miles to be treated properly, usually paying out of her own pocket for all expenses. I also had no idea how prevalent infanticide of intersex babies is in some countries.

Thank you to Roth Weigel for sharing her story! I look forward to reading more intersex memoirs soon, starting with Pidgeon Pagonis’ NOBODY NEEDS TO KNOW.

As someone who knows less than I should about the interex community and the difficulties that they encounter, this was very eye opening. Alicia's voice is important to be heard and I feel most people would learn some things from this memoir or see themselves within this memoir. I never thought about the horrors that children experience without their consent. It was very surprising to read about the exclusions that intersex people experience even within the LBGTQIA+ communities. They struggle to be seen and I feel the author did a great job in providing an introduction to the lives of fellow intersex individuals.

- I absolutely LOVED this memoir!
- Great education, even for people in the LGBTQ+ community
- Alicia’s writing draws you in and holds your attention every chapter while sharing her compelling stories

I love stories and memoirs that make me think and change in some way. Keeping myself educated and up to date within the LGBTQ+ is the most important thing to me. Alicia’s writing has a way of ensuring her voice is heard and the message sticks.

I’m so honored to have read this memoir!

I had really high hopes for this book. Unfortunately, while I did still find it interesting and informative, it reads like it was written by someone who thinks a lot of themself. Yes, memoirs all supposed to be self-centered, but I couldn't help but feel like I wold be annoyed by the author in real life. All the same, I think it is a good introduction to the struggles that intersex people go through and has prompted me to want to read even more on the subject.

I found this book very intriguing and the author Alicia Roth Weigel moving through the struggles of IGM, and how she went through surgery (depicted in the memoir) and the consequences of that. I enjoyed reading her experiences from 4-adulthood. I do however feel as though after about the halfway point it should have ended, due to as it continued the author pushing her own viewpoints (non intentionally bad, but could be in ill tastes). In all I do believe it was educational.

Alicia Roth Weigel was told she’d been born with complete androgen insensitivity syndrome. She grew up hiding the fact that she didn’t menstruate and would never have a biological child. Not until her twenties, when she saw a story in Vogue magazine, did she discover the word intersex—the missing piece of her identity. While Inverse Cowgirl centers her experiences around being a woman who is intersex, it also conveys her life as a staunch advocate for human rights and the gifts and challenges that come with a bipolar diagnosis.

Just when I thought I was getting lost in the narrative of her early nomadic years, she landed in Texas where her true vocation took root. You’d think she wouldn’t last in a conservative state that actively tries to pass legislation denying her existence. Instead, she owns the work of her new frontier, bridging the gap between male and female, her conservative family and liberal comrades, and even between opposing sides of the Texas State Legislature. As she so aptly points out, y’all is the perfect gender neutral word. This is an absolute must-read for anyone looking to understand why the I in LGBTQIA+ matters.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.

BOOK REVIEW
Inverse Cowgirl


Genre: Biography, LGBTQIA+, Memoir
Year Released: 2023
Pages: 256
Writer(s): Alicia Roth Weigel, Jonathan Van Ness (Foreword)
Where To Read: available September 19, 2023, pre-order here www.harpercollins.com, or www.amazon.com

If you’d like to learn more about what Intersex is, check out this site www.interactadvocates.org

RAVING REVIEW: Delve into the captivating universe of INVERSE COWGIRL, where Alicia Roth Weigel exposes her life story from birth, deeply intertwined with her advocacy for the intersex community. Each chapter is rich with sentiment, akin to a director’s commentary detailing every bit of a scene. Instead of the silver screen, though, Alicia uses the canvas of her own body, using tattoos as bookmarks of her life’s most poignant moments. This method, unique and endearing, anchors the narrative, ensuring readers remain hooked.

Alicia’s life, right from the beginning, was faced with challenges that many might find hard to fathom, let alone come to terms with. Medical interventions imposed on her as an infant might have been meant to align her with society’s norms. Still, they inadvertently directed her towards a trajectory of battles, discovery, resilience, and activism. Her college days and overseas travels were turning points in her life, moments of introspection and metamorphosis. Alicia’s story of overcoming hurdles that she’s faced is beyond inspiring.

The transition from personal exploration of her childhood to advocacy as an adult is detailed and profound. Alicia’s enthusiasm is evident throughout the book; her heart and soul have become what they are today not only because of her continued victories in life but also because of her challenges and the realizations she’s had about her past. If I were to have anything negative to say about the book, it would be that I wanted more. I could have easily read a book twice the size to hear more about what she faces daily. The struggles of past decisions that were made for her, those that she walked into herself, and those that found their way into her life would be a deeper exploration into what it means to be her (here’s to hoping that there will be a part two of her journey!)

Alicia’s dedication to championing marginalized voices is evident throughout the narrative. From her first experiences of giving based on her heart (despite what her bank account said) to her current battles against the local, state, and federal governments. Instead of lingering on traumatic memories, she focuses on the strength and inspiration drawn from these moments. Each chapter is structured similarly, giving the book a beautiful balance allowing you to dive into each and know the course you’ll be following.

The book sheds light on the widespread ignorance and miseducation around intersexuality. The revelation that their population is similar to the number of natural redheads is a powerful comparison, emphasizing the dire need for increased awareness. Through her words, Alicia zooms into the alarming and prevalent practice of subjecting intersex infants to non-consensual surgeries. This stark exposition is a wake-up call, challenging societal prejudices and beckoning toward empathy.

For those who want to learn more about Alicia’s tireless work, the documentary EVERY BODY complements INVERSE COWGIRL’s themes. This visual narration, spotlighting three valiant intersex individuals, echoes the themes of resilience, struggle, and advocacy. Click here for my review of EVERY BODY

In conclusion, INVERSE COWGIRL isn’t just about Alicia’s past. It’s a forward-looking proclamation, challenging societal constructs and inviting a more encompassing understanding of gender diversity. The sheer vibrancy of her experiences, her encounters in the political sphere, and the stories her tattoos tell beckon readers to step beyond conventional thought, advocating a realm of broadened understanding. This memoir, bubbling with heart, exploration, and revelations, sets the stage for a broader conversation on human diversity.

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The first 30% of INVERSE COWGIRL is fascinating. I tore through Alicia Roth Weigel’s moving depictions of undergoing IGM (intersex genital mutilation) as an infant and how this invasive and unnecessary surgery, imposed to make her anomalous body (she was born with XY chromosomes, internal testes, and a vagina) “fit the binary,” sent her into the equivalent of menopause at age four, complete with hot flashes and uncontrollable bouts of crying. I loved reading about her subsequent early coming-of-age experiences, up to and including her college years and time spent living abroad. Then she goes to work for Wendy Davis’s nonprofit (still fascinating, because as Weigel says, Wendy Davis is a “feminist hero”—and she absolutely is) where she discovers via a magazine article that there are other intersex people like her in the world. At that point, the whole book shifts in tone as Weigel becomes an ardent advocate for intersex recognition and rights. Nothing wrong with that, except as the book goes on it starts to feel like she’s yelling at the reader for not being as “tuned in” as she is and she keeps making blanket statements about how all Republicans are terrible, etc. etc, which even if I agree with the sentiment, seems to me a red flag about being so committed to your platform that you’ve stopped being able to dialogue with the other side. If the author’s goal was to change hearts and minds, she might have been better served by stopping at the 30% mark.

I wanted to love this and was so excited to read it but it just wasn't at all what I thought it would be and the writing is soooo subpar it's like she didn't even try. I think this is an important book but it could be better executed. Probably won't recommend this unless someone is looking for an informational book on intersex people.

Certainly a powerful book that really opens eyes to the internal struggles of what it’s like being intersex in this world. This memoir showcases the life of an incredibly versatile woman who has harnessed her struggles as momentum to push for the betterment of society. I loved that the chapters were tied to Alicia’s tattoos and the journeys in her life that spoke to the profound meaning each work of art on her body had. This is a stunning book that really puts on display Alicia’s captivating oratory skills and will hopefully push our world to be more accepting.

Certainly a powerful book that really opens eyes to the internal struggles of what it’s like being intersex in this world. This memoir showcases the life of an incredibly versatile woman who has harnessed her struggles as momentum to push for the betterment of society. I loved that the chapters were tied to Alicia’s tattoos and the journeys in her life that spoke to the profound meaning each work of art on her body had. This is a stunning book that really puts on display Alicia’s captivating oratory skills and will hopefully push our world to be more accepting.

I rated this book 4.75/5 stars.
Inverse Cowgirl is a must-read memoir for LGBTQIA+ (especially the “I”) folks and allies. Inverse Cowgirl is Weigel’s memoir of being an activist around the world, coming out as intersex, and working in the Texas political world. Weigel writes about travel, spirituality, mental health, politics, and a thousand other things, and she masterfully ties being intersex into every anecdote (it’s not a bad thing, I promise).
The first half of the book was thoroughly interesting. Weigel brilliantly combines her personal experiences with scientific facts and psycho-sociological observations about society’s view of intersex people (and of minorities in general). Weigel’s anecdotes vary so broadly in topics: bullying in adolescence, studying abroad in Brazil, working in politics, and coming out as intersex.
Weigel does an excellent job at raising the voices of minorities throughout the book, always crediting the people who helped her while she was both struggling and succeeding.
Also, Inverse Cowgirl covers the topic of trauma in a fantastic way. It is not necessarily a book about trauma, but trauma is interwoven into the major experiences of Weigel’s life (that she writes about, at least). They write optimistically, acknowledging that these traumatic events and feelings happened and shaped her life, but never going into extreme detail.
My one complaint is that in the final few chapters, the story started to drag and I found it more challenging to stay engaged with the book. I appreciated the chapter for being an overview of where Weigel’s life is now, but there were several sections that I felt could have been dispersed throughout the rest of the book.
Content warnings for mental illness, sexual assault, infertility, medical content/trauma, and addiction (alcohol & drugs).

I want to thank the Publisher as well as #NetGalley for letting me read this as an ARC!

4 Stars!

The Author is an Intersex Activist, former Grassroots political campaign worker, and published New York Times writer. This book gives a poignant, emotional, and heartwarming story of a community that is often not considered. From studying Latin to working in grassroots organization in the deep south to deep mental health struggles (all while finding Bad Bunny incredibly attractive) the Author tells a true story of her life. Focusing on what it felt like to have her bodily autonomy ripped before she even knew her own name. Weigel paints a full story of the many stages her life has gone through. As a fellow member of the Queer community, this was a much needed read. And I would recommend this book for anybody that identifies as part of our community, learning is always needed. Weigel chooses an interesting format to outline her book. She tells her life story as the meaning behind all of her tattoos. This book is a highly informative look into the intersex community, and I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to read an informative and poignant memoir.