
Three of Spades
Alicia Roth Weigel
Human Rights Commissioner of Austin Texas Alicia Roth Weigel was raised and told that she had a medical condition known as androgen hormone insensitivity. The way both the doctors and her parents framed it was that she had a disorder of sexual development and that it needed to be fixed. She was told to refrain from telling anyone because then she would be shunned and not accepted. Alicia was raised to believe that there was something abnormal about her, but that doctors were doing their best to “fix” her.
Alicia, in an interview with the podcast “Tiffany & U”, talked about the origins of her intersex journey. Around 2016, Alicia moved to Texas to join Senator Wendy Davis to found the group “Deeds, not Words,” which was an organization that focused on promoting gender equality as well as helping those that are victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. Alicia was active within the Deeds not Words’ sexual assault group, helping survivors of sexual assault by having them share their stories and be vulnerable with their community as part of the healing process. However, there was still a part of her story that she wasn’t being truly honest about–her “sexual developmental disorder”. Later on, she was inspired by a model by the name of Hanne Gaby Odiele, who came out as intersex. Alicia remembers hearing her story and hearing her describe being intersex and what that meant. Alicia started researching and came to the realization that she was part of a larger community that embraced not the “Disorders of Sexual Development” but rather the unique and beautiful nature of intersex people.
Work and Activism
Alicia works as the Human Rights Commissioner of Austin Texas focusing on advocating and protecting human rights from discriminatory policies. She also works to form community aid groups, investigate complaints, and run educational programs. Alicia is a partner of Pride Fund 1, which is a company that focuses on investing, educating, and empowering businesses, advocacy groups, and people that further the ideals of the LGBTQIA+ community. Along with her professional life, Alicia is also very active on Instagram, often posting and tagging other Intersex advocates to further cultivate and inspire the larger community that intersex people exist, and that they deserve to have their voices heard.
In the podcast interview with Tiffany & Yu, Alicia made a request from those that are unaware of what intersex means, even those within the LGBTQIA+ community. Alicia asked to “Be humble and curious”. “If you don’t know something then ask”. Activism for LGBTQIA+ rights doesn’t stop when your group gets what they want. There are still parts of our community that are struggling to be seen.
Links to Interviews with Alicia Roth Weigel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6NZ0c78vjU
Links- Linkedin profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliciaweigel/
Link to Alicia’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xoxy_alicia/?hl=en

