Trans Voice Therapy
by John Smith LearnerTransgender Voice Training or voice therapy is the term
often used by speech language pathologists and medical professionals. It
implies a mechanical, medical approach. These professionals come from a
background of treating swallowing disorders, unhealthy voice habits, and voice damage.
ADVANTAGES
You
will find a few advantages to this approach that may make it the better choice
for some. First, speech language pathologists are able to accept insurance in
some cases for offering Trans voice therapy. Within this school of thought,
gender dysphoria (with respect to the voice) is a medical condition, and can
then be treated medically for insurance eligibility.
Another advantage of a medical
providers is that they record progress in an objective way. This can be helpful
for measuring progress of transgender voice therapy. You will have concrete
data, and can understand the progress you are making. Some objective ways of
measuring the voice include:
1. Frequency: the
number of times the vocal folds vibrate in a set amount of time. Frequency is
typically measured in vibrations per second, or Hertz (Hz).
2. Harmonics:
frequencies that are multiples of the frequency that your vocal folds produce.
This influences what quality we perceive a person’s voice to have.
3.
Volume: how loud or quiet a voice is, measured in decibels.
In
a world that’s perpetually connected via social media, cellphones, and
computers, the power and significance of your voice can be tremendous. Whether
you’re listening to a loved one over the phone or hearing an actor on TV, you
probably hear hundreds of unique voices every day. But have you ever put much
thought into your own voice?
For
transgender men and women, the answer to that question is usually an
unequivocal yes, constantly. Our voices can out us to strangers
and inspire intense dysphoria, widening the gap between who we are and who we
present to the world. For many Tran’s men, testosterone lowers the tone of
their voice over time. Tran’s women aren’t as fortunate: Estrogen has no impact
on a voice that’s already been affected by male puberty. However, voice
therapy—conducted at home or through a professional—can lead to a more
cis-comparable speaking voice. We recommend mtf voice training by a professional
to help.
I’ve never had the abundance of disposable income necessary
to hire a voice therapist or do voice feminization exercises,
so my experiences are composed of amateur work through internet resources.
Voice therapy comprises three major techniques: tone, resonance, and cadence.
Once you master the three, you’ll have a strong foundation for exploring the
more abstract components of your voice. Most of these guides start with the
same advice: strengthen your larynx, then learn to control its position. If you
aren’t sure where your larynx is, tilt your head back, place a finger in the
center of your throat and swallow. Do you feel that muscle bouncing up and
shooting back down? That’s your larynx, and it’s partly responsible for the
unique sound of your voice. Controlling your larynx is tricky and requires you
to use the muscles surrounding it to lift it and lower it.
The human voice is a powerful thing. But what if your voice
didn't represent who you are?
Within the transgender community in Massachusetts and beyond,
that is a reality for many people who are transitioning from one gender
identity to another.
That's where gender-affirming voice therapy comes in. It's a
form of speech therapy, but the goal is to help a person craft a voice that
feels comfortable and authentic to themselves.
"There's
no recipe for finding your voice," said Laurie Korza, a speech pathologist
at Northampton Atwood Rehabilitation Services who works with Trans patients.
"You have to work within what your voice can do. And we know that that can
change."
Gender-affirming care like voice therapy recently became
easier to access in Massachusetts. The state-funded health care program
MassHealth OK'd the addition of procedures like breast reduction surgery and
genital surgery to a list of covered, medically necessary care last year.
But Trans health care is under attack in other parts of the
country. Last month in Texas, for instance, Gov. Greg Abbott directed state
agencies to investigate families of children undergoing gender-affirming care
for child abuse. Several leading medical organizations have condemned the
directive, and the American Civil Liberties Union is now suing Texas over it.
Discrimination based on gender identity is against
Massachusetts law. Studies suggest banning or criminalizing gender-affirming
care is detrimental to Trans people's well-being. A 2020 survey found 40% of
LGBTQ young people had considered suicide within the previous year, in part due
to their gender identity not being affirmed by others.
Korza said her foray into gender-affirming voice therapy
began when a patient came in for care for a different matter: Parkinson's
disease. But that patient eventually asked if Korza could help make her
"sound more feminine."
"I was
honest and said, 'Well, I've never done that before, but I'm certainly willing
to give it a try,' " Korza said.
Today, Korza estimates about one-third of her caseload is
people seeking gender-affirming voice therapy.
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Created on Aug 15th 2022 11:57. Viewed 273 times.