Who’s behind the mask?

“Does anyone else think it's going to be much easier to pass when wearing a facemask?!”  That was a question recently posed on one of the popular online transgender forums.  The answer?  No.  One person responded, “I’m being misgendered more, I imagine because when you can’t see most of the face you use other cues - height, build, voice.  The answer is probably to put on ten tons of eye makeup.”  

As Rebecca Root discussed with me, we have two strong projections of gender - that of visible presentation and audible presentation.  Masks eliminate many visual facial cues to gender, such as lipstick – a hallmark of quintessential femininity.  Fortunately, one of the most expressive features of the face is still accessible – the eyes and eyebrows.  Other than that, we have cues such as height, figure, hair, hands, presence or absence of an Adam’s apple, and dress to visually convey gender.  

With the reduction of visual cues we can offer others, audible voice cues grow in importance.  Muffling our utterances, masks even impede precise articulation, which is widely considered a feminine speech characteristic.  Pitch, inflection, timbre and tonal cues of voice become more influential in confirming gender.  

In the pandemic world, a trans person may find their voice to be the key to presenting to the world just who is behind their mask.

Create your one-of-a-kind voice.

“Let it be unique for yourself and yet identifiable for others.” - Anna Wintour on style

Timbre is the unique sound that differentiates one voice from another and makes the speaker instantly recognisable. Because of this vocal phenomenon, I’ve always argued that timbre is the most defining characteristic of a voice.  But what is its role in voice perception?  

A study by Pernet and Belin looked at how these two characteristics of voice are used by listeners in identifying the gender of a speaker.  The results indicated “pitch is used only when timbre information is ambiguous (i.e., for more androgynous voices)”.  The authors explain that although, in general, voices tend to be lower for larger people (due to the corresponding larger size of the vocal apparatus), this generalisation is unreliable when discerning the gender of a speaker.  This unreliability is due to the large overlap of voice sound frequencies shared between men and women (the gender neutral pitch range), and therefore, pitch alone is not enough to determine gender.  In fact, listeners determine gender predominantly based on timbre.  

So, what is timbre?  Belin explains, “timbre is what allows differentiating two sounds that can have the same perceived pitch and loudness”. It is created by the combination of the fundamental frequency of the vocal fold vibrations and the way the vocal tract shape filters that vibration, boosting some overtones and muting others.  According to Belin, timbre “reflects the mixture of harmonics and their relative height”.

Now, how can trans people manipulate their voices to create a pleasing timbre that is congruent with their gender?  Enter the idea of resonators.  The resonators of the vocal tract are spaces with air in them.  These spaces have a frequency at which they easily vibrate.  

To help understand this concept, think about making music with water bottles.  When we blow across a bottle, the sound we hear is determined by the amount of air space in the bottle.  If we change the amount of water, we change the amount of air space and we change the sound.

We have two such resonating spaces we can manipulate - the area behind the tongue and the oral cavity.  Vibrations in these two areas produce formants, (F1 and F2, respectively) which are merely ‘boosting’ of the harmonics produced by the sound signal (vibrating vocal folds), or the fundamental frequency of the voice (F0).  This is just the science-y way of saying that, just as with bottles of water, we can change the size and shape of our resonators to change the sound of our voices.  These resonating spaces and how we change them give our voices their uniqueness.                                  

I’ve taken these images from a website called voicescienceworks.  An easy-to-understand explanation of the relationship between vocal harmonics and formants is found there. https://www.voicescienceworks.org/harmonics-vs-formants.html                                              

For most people, manipulating the area behind the tongue is considerably more difficult than the mouth, although it can be done.  Raising the larynx and the soft palate with the muscles of the throat will have an effect on this resonating space.  Care needs to be taken with raising and holding the larynx, though, because there is increased potential in developing hyperfunction, (excessive muscle tension) which can result in discomfort and lead to other pathologies.   In a review by Kim (2020), F1 is also responsive to changes in degree of mouth opening, such as by lowering the jaw and tongue position.

The second resonating space, the oral cavity, is much easier to manipulate and offers greater scope in the number of adjustments that can be made with the articulators:  lips, teeth, cheeks, tongue, jaw.  Fortunately, the formants produced here are also the most important in producing a perceptually feminine or masculine sound.  A study by Kawitzky and McAllister focused on F2 analysis because, “The second formant (F2), which is influenced by the length of the oral cavity, has been shown to correlate most saliently with the perception of gender.”   Kim concurs that changing the size and volume of the oral cavity alters F2.  Altering tongue position and modifying articulation patterns can achieve narrowing of the oral cavity, thus reducing its volume or increasing the oral space and volume.

The bottom line:  I work with resonating spaces. Whatever pitch range a client is targeting, I help them to learn to use the spaces to achieve the voice style they want. The result is the creation of a unique voice quality that is perceptually congruent with the desired gender identity.

The highest achievement: “Passing” on the telephone.

For many trans people, being identified as their true gender from their voice alone, with no visual cues, is the ultimate goal of their transition.  As we know, a feminine voice is made up of many components – pitch, resonance, tone quality, breathiness, etc.  As a very general rule, clear articulation is considered to be a characteristic of feminine speech.

 It seems there may be some historical reason for this perception.  According to Livia Gershon, when the telephone became widely used, the low fidelity made it difficult for people to understand regional dialects, particularly in men.  She quotes an encyclopedia’s explanation for this as a difference in the degree of articulation between men and women: 

If you listen to an average woman speaking and compare her voice with that of an average man of her own class, you will notice, among other things, that her enunciation of words is better; also that there is less tendency to cut the ends of words or to drop the voice and mumble the terminations…

Gershon goes on to write that education may have contributed to the development of this distinction between genders.

…in the late nineteenth century educational institutions from elementary schools to universities began offering voice instruction to female students. They learned to speak clearly and precisely without straining their vocal cords…All this meant that men who spoke clearly over the phone might come across as feminized.

 Fast forward to 2007 and 2012, research by Free & Ducakis and Ducakis et al. (respectively) supports the notion that “more precise” articulation of consonants signals more feminine speech.

So, for voice feminisation, slow down and articulate!  

It’s not what you say, but how you say it.

Image from H. Andrew Schwartz, Personality, Gender, and Age in the Language of Social Media: The Open-Vocabulary Approach. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0073791

It is obvious to everyone that trans people modify their visual presentation.  Most people realise the voice, like visual appearance, is a strong auditory cue for gender identification that, for most trans people, must also be modified.  Many people are not aware that there are many subtle para-linguistic features of communication that must also be modified in order to ‘pass’ as a specific gender.

 Linguist Mark Liberman, in his blog post entitled, Male and female word usage, reports some differences in vocabulary choice and other paralinguistic features in cis men and cis women’s speech, as evidenced by research. 

MALE	FEMALE
Unintelligible 11% more often	“Gosh!” 4.4 times more often
False starts (self-corrections) 45% more often	“Goodness!” 5.6 times more often
“uh” perhaps element of dysfluency	Laughter 60% more often
Phatic exprepressions “yeah” “no shit”	Phatic expressions “um-hum” “yes” “uh-huh”

Liberman queries the possible reasons for these differences,

It's less clear why women should laugh 60% more often than men do — are women on average happier, or more overtly sociable? Or do men feel constrained not to express positive emotions?

 He replies to a commenter on his post,

It's well established, both by empirical studies and by common sense, that men in general "cuss" or "use profanity" much more frequently than women do, and that women are more likely than men to substitute euphemisms instead…Presumably this reflects a gender difference in how people are socialized to express the emotions and attitudes underlying taboo-word usage, not an intrinsic difference (whether genetic or learned) in how men and women feel and react. 

 Liberman also considers whether women put more effort into signalling attention and agreement during conversation by using more phatic expressions or merely a different choice of such expressions. 

 Delving further into this area of paralinguistic modification, I was intrigued by an interesting article by Claire Rudy Foster (ftm), “The secret life of an anonymous speechwriter to the stars,” in which he explains how he had to consider vocabulary, cadence, tone and even timing of speech in order to be perceived as masculine.  He writes, 

 My voice started to drop, a second adolescence. Yet my expressions did not change. When I spoke, my cadence and word choices were still “female”.

 But not only was perception of gender a concern, he also found his social status changed, as well.  This change meant his words and the way he spoke them had a different effect on listeners, both male and female.  

 Although the words I spoke didn’t change, my voice and the way I sounded altered the way that others heard me. Short statements, in a deep, gruff voice, can be heard as controlling, dismissive or rude, a sign of un-self-aware male privilege. The anger that commanded respect and interest when I presented as female became a liability as my voice lowered, acquiring the tones of patriarchy. Each word carried more weight, bigger consequences than before. I’d had practice writing speeches for other people. Now, I had to learn new lines that were right for my voice and the body that carried it.

 So, it seems Foster had to be sensitive to the changes in perception imparted merely by his change in voice quality.  A masculine voice made him vulnerable to negative perceptions typically attributed to male-ness (controlling, dismissive, rudeness).

 The human ear picks up on subtleties of both voice and speech.  Pairing that sensitivity with social sensitivities of role and status results in even trickier communication challenges for transgender people.  The old adage, “It’s not what you say, but how you say it” has never been truer.

"What can I do to make my voice deeper?"

image from https://cvtresearch.com/introduction-to-sound-colour/

Many of my clients find me through the London Transgender Clinic, where I work as an associate therapist.   A while back, they welcomed questions about voice transformation and my answers are being posted on their website.  I decided to share these Q&As here on my blog, as well.  

Best way for a Pre-Testosterone trans male (almost 18) to deepen his voice?
What can I do to make my voice deeper?
How do you train your voice to make it deeper?

It is interesting that three people wrote in to ask questions about deepening their voices.  It’s interesting because the word “deepen” relates to pitch, certainly, but it could also relate to the quality of the voice.  A deepening of the voice may mean making it fuller, larger or more imposing.  “Deepening” may refer to the internal sensations felt by the speaker.

Many people think it is easier to make a voice more masculine than it is to make a voice more feminine.  That’s not necessarily true, because, just like voice feminisation, it is not just a matter of pitch.  Even with the effects of testosterone, the lowering of speaking pitch does not guarantee a voice that sounds ‘male’. In addition to lowering the habitual speaking pitch, trans-masculine clients need to also explore resonance.

Resonance gives a voice its distinct and unique quality.  Changing it requires experimenting with ways to manipulate your vocal tract (the areas above the level of the vocal folds) to produce a voice that is pleasing to you.  It is vocal behaviour modification.  Following are a couple of things to think about as you begin the process of trial and error that is necessary to achieve the voice you want.

Pitch

The Cismale speaking range is 100-140 Hz.  The Cisgender neutral range is considered to be 145-175 Hz.  So, when working on lowering your speaking pitch, aim for D3, D#3 or E3 on a keyboard, pitches that are gender neutral.  You could begin with gentle, low humming and gradually lower the pitch in a stepwise descent, one semitone at a time.  Then, you can practice single words or short phrases at this new pitch.  Your speaking range will eventually encompass several semitones lower and higher, creating a comfortable range that allows for expressive speech.  It is important to avoid at all times any additional strain or tension in the neck and throat.  If you experience any pain whilst exploring your voice range, you need to stop.  If pain persists, you may want to consult a speech and language therapist or ENT.

 Resonance

You want to achieve a functional voice that is not too soft, ‘grainy’ or ‘reedy’, but strong and sonorous.  Some approaches that may help are to speak with a more open mouth and ‘open throat’.  When speaking, try to open your mouth a bit more, focusing on allowing the jaw to release downward easily (not pushed down).  To experience the sensation of a more open throat, practice speaking on a yawn.  Yawning allows the larynx to lower naturally and the pharynx (space at the back of the throat) to widen.  Emulate what I refer to as the “radio announcer’s or game show host’s voice” (think, “heeeere’s Johnny!”).

There are many other aspects to voice and speech that contribute to achieving a masculine voice, but when considering deepening the voice, the place to start is with the two most salient aspects, pitch and resonance.

Embrace Your Global Community

Hilary Weissberg,MS, CCC-SLP

What good, if any, has come of the COVID 19 global pandemic?  It is difficult to identify positive effects of this health crisis.  I am hopeful that nature and the world as a whole have had a period of time for growth and healing.  The article, Finding positives from the pandemic: 10 ways life might be better post-coronavirus outlines some positive thoughts that I considered and that have given me hope during this time.

I also experienced a revelation that was totally unexpected – reconnection with far-flung friends is easily achievable.  After becoming accustomed to conducting business via technology, I realised the same strategies could enable connection with others for social purposes.  I had Zoom gatherings with friends in Italy, Singapore, New Zealand, Australia and America.  Afterward, I chastised myself for not taking the initiative much sooner.  It took a pandemic for me to realise making time for loved ones that are far away is not a hardship.

In addition, I realised how easy it is to connect with other professionals who work within the same domains.  One such person is Hilary Weissberg, a Speech and Language Therapist working in Connecticut.  I found her via Google alerts and reached out to her to enquire about group voice therapy sessions she was running for the trans community.  After a delightful conversation via Zoom, I’m pleased to introduce Hilary through her guest blog. 

Unmasking The Voice
by Hilary Weissberg, MS, CCC-SLP

Have you ever been told to "keep your voice down," or "Speak up! Can't hear you," or "Shut up!"? How about to speak/act "lady-like?" Or that "boys don't cry?" Have opinions or feelings you shared been criticized or dismissed? Over time these harmful messages and imposed gender stereotypes can send your voice, and you, into hiding. They can cause you to feel that sharing your authentic voice isn't safe. Or that it isn't worth sharing because it won't be listened to anyway.

But your voice is an intrinsic part of who you are and it deserves to be heard. The individual sound that you emit is unique. It transmits your thoughts, feelings, and emotions, and enables genuine heart-felt connection with others. Your voice can make a powerful, positive impact on the world, no matter your age, gender, sexuality, race, or ethnicity. And we need that now more than ever.

Physical conditions, of course, can also impact the voice. Vocal misuse and abuse, like shouting, or speaking without sufficient breath support can be damaging to the delicate tissues that comprise the vocal cords. Illnesses such as Parkinson's disease and other neurological conditions can dampen volume, inflection, and articulation. If you have Parkinson's you may think your loved one(s) need hearing aids. Which may also be true! But low speech volume is likely a factor. Stress and anxiety can also lead to physical problems with the voice due to prolonged muscle tension in the larynx, the anatomical voice box. Symptoms include vocal fatigue, hoarseness, and even pain while speaking or singing.

So what can be done? The physical condition and appearance of one's body can be transformed through exercise. Can a similar principle be applied to voice and speech? YES! Absolutely. 

In my practice it always begins with love and acceptance. Learning to accept yourself for who you are is easier said than done, of course. But it is a process, and it can be facilitated through therapy. You can learn to create an internal environment in which the voice gradually feels safe to come out of hiding. Vocal exercises and play can simultaneously serve to free your intrinsic sound and unlock patterns that have held it back. If, due to illness or injury, you have lost the voice that you once knew and loved, you can learn exercises that strengthen pharyngeal and respiratory musculature. The focus remains on play, creativity, and nurturing as the voice is gradually unmasked and freed for all the world to hear.  

One positive of the COVID 19 pandemic for each and every one of us is the realisation that if we are looking to connect with someone, for whatever reason, we needn’t feel limited to those people in our immediate vicinity.  We can reach out to people all over the world for voice therapy, talking therapy, counselling, friendship or any number of reasons.  If there’s someone out there you wish to reach, it is possible.  (The virtual gamers were way ahead of the rest of us with this phenomenon.)  Connecting globally has never been easier.

"I feel like a fraud."

For trans people, exposing their new voice is difficult and requires practice to overcome nervousness. Conventional wisdom is to practice any type of public speaking within the safe space of friends and family, but what if that space doesn't feel safe?

I had a client who seemed to be ‘stuck’.  She came to see me on a weekly basis and made great progress during sessions.   Each time, she was able to create a sound that was well within gender-neutral parameters and she seemed enthusiastic about her new voice. Confusingly, she began each session with the baritone voice that belonged to the person of her birth gender.  When I asked whether she was using her feminised voice with family or friends, she confessed she didn’t have the courage to ‘try out’ her new voice with anyone else, not even family.  She conceded they were all fully accepting of her transition and totally supportive, but she just didn’t have the nerve to modify her voice in front of them – even when visually presenting completely as a woman.  She confessed to me, “I feel like a fraud, because they all know me as Steve.” (name changed)

Many of my clients find taking this step extremely frightening.  Why?  Surely, family and friends are your most supportive groups of people.  They are not looking to harshly judge you.  They know you best, have been with you all your life and know your history.  Perhaps that’s precisely the problem.  

Your family and friends know you intimately.  They immediately recognise your voice and can infer from it all that is possible for it to convey – your emotional state, fatigue, illness, joy and nervousness. You may feel they will be critical or judgemental of your attempts to change your voice, because they will hear your old voice creeping into your new voice. Even if they don’t want you to have this fear and are trying to give you helpful feedback, they may not be able to censor their opinions or express their criticisms gently enough to make you feel comfortable.

You may wonder if they will be able to get used to the new voice – will they like it?  Will they embrace it?  It may be that your family and friends are those you most want to impress and please. After all, they’ve invested in you and your success will have an affect on them, as well, so fear of failure may be at your most extreme.

I am one of those people with this problem.  I have performed as a soloist in front of thousands of strangers at the Royal Albert Hall, but I am far more nervous when singing in front of my friends.  I think it’s my fear that they may compare me to other singers – both professional and amateur – and I may rank lower in their regard.  But, that’s probably not the case.  It’s more likely they appreciate my singing along with that of others.  We’re all different, with different qualities and attributes and to them, my voice is no less ‘good’ than any others.  

 We are not alone.  Glossophobia is speech anxiety.  Basically, “speaking publicly whether it be in front of a group of unknown people, or a close group of friends, is what triggers the anxiety for the speaker.” – Wikipedia   Fear of public speaking affects about 77% of the population, but the additional concern of exhibiting a new sound makes it particularly stressful for transgender people.

When researching this phobia, all experts say the same thing:  practice is key.   It’s fine to begin by practicing in private, but sooner or later you’re going to have to speak in front of other people.  Usually, the first step is to practice your new voice in the presence of your voice coach – a safe space with someone who offers compassionate, but constructive criticism.  Daunting, but necessary, so most people get used to this situation pretty quickly. 

The next most conventional stepping-stone recommended by public speaking coaches is to practice your new voice in front of friends and family.  This step broadens your safe space for trying out your new voice.  

Now, I realise not everyone has a fully supportive and accepting group of family and friends.  In reality, a trans person may encounter a great range of reactions from family and friends during transition.  In fact, the series Boy Meets Girl brilliantly depicts this range of responses from two sets of families and friends.  But, some people are fortunate enough to have family and friends who take an active role in helping their loved one transition.  One client’s father gave her mother a stunning bracelet with the LGBT+ colours represented with aquamarine, sapphire & diamond precious stones (pictured above).   I was touched by this visible testament of love and support for their child, so I wanted to share it here.

In the article, When Talking to Strangers Is Easier than Talking to People You Know, the author writes of speaking to strangers:

“you can even play a different character, the person you want to be instead of who you really are…”

In contrast to speaking with strangers, you may be afraid that you cannot successfully be your true self with people who are close to you, because they know you so well.  You may feel it will be impossible to gain their acceptance of your new identity.  But, the same article reads, 

“You shouldn’t be afraid to show who you truly are. Although you have flaws and weaknesses, you also have strengths and virtues. Correct your flaws if you don’t like them instead of hiding them from the people who trust you. Remember that they have their own.”

But, in the article, Speaking In Front of Family, Friends and Relations, the author makes an important point about those people:          

“They have been a witness; with you all the way through your life to date, watching you develop and grow into the wonderful person you are today, some more than others. Whether it is speaking to them on a one to one or in a large group or indeed formally at a social occasion, they want to see and hear the real you speaking i.e. they want you to be authentic. If you are not, they may not believe what you are saying.”

Give voice to your authentic self.  Your friends and family deserve to have that person – your true, best self – in their lives.  Being your best self takes practice and courage.  Start now.

"I like Rebecca Root's voice."

“What sort of voice do you like?”  

This is a question I often ask my clients to encourage them to think about the voice qualities they appreciate.  When I asked one of my clients, she responded with, “I like Rebecca Root’s voice.  If I could develop a voice similar to hers, I would be really pleased.”  So, I viewed Rebecca on her hit BBC series, “Boy Meets Girl”, to listen to her voice.   

Out of curiosity, I took a clip from a YouTube excerpt from the show and did a bit of basic voice analysis on Rebecca’s voice and the voice of Harry Hepple, a cis-male who plays her love interest on the show.  These voice samples are not ideal, because Rebecca and Harry are not speaking the same words, but the analyses provide a visual comparison of their two voices, with the red line indicating the average pitch range and variation of intonation within the speaking voices.  

                    Rebecca                                                  Harry

We can see that Harry’s voice enters into the range of gender-neutral pitch (between 140hz to 180hz), albeit only briefly.  More important than pitch, however, is the relatively flat contour of his speech.  His words have limited intonation, limited pitch range and a downward inflection.  In a glance, we can see the more melodic contours of Rebecca’s voice, along with the higher pitch level.

It turns out that Rebecca has a MA in Voice Studies from The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.  So, she is not only an appealing vocal role model, but she is also knowledgeable of the whole topic of voice training. I reached out to her to learn more about the history of her voice transformation and found that she is incredibly generous of spirit and insightful. I was excited to find she shares many of my views on voice, including priorities of focus.  

Rebecca agreed to provide written responses to some interview questions for my blog, including a follow-up Zoom discussion, which was packed with inspiration:            

• Was there a specific event or trigger that motivated you to pursue voice modification? No, I just wanted my voice to align more comfortably with my identified (and presenting) gender, which need became apparent once I commenced transition.

• You were an actor for many years prior to transition.  During your training, you developed a high degree of control over your voice, which I'm sure was beneficial to your progress in modifying your voice. What then, made you decide to have voice therapy as part of your transition? You can never have too much voice work. An on-going relationship with one’s voice is part and parcel of being an actor. So it was a natural progression that I explore my relationship with my voice more deeply once I transitioned. Although acting gives a strong background to performance technique, a different set of skills is needed to navigate a gender transition; I found I could best achieve my desired results with the guidance of an SLT.

• What aspect(s) of your voice did you want to change? Reduce chest resonance, increase upper pitch elements, increase intonation.

• What were the benefits and frustrations for you with regard to voice therapy? Benefits: having an objective ear/eye on my progress. Having a model on which to base my own work. The SLT’s use of technology to record pitch change. Frustrations: not enough sessions, length of waiting list, relative brevity of each session

• You had six one hour sessions with a speech and language therapist.  What made you decide to have surgery on your vocal folds? I found I wasn’t achieving quite the results I wanted. [Below is a clip of her commenting further on this question.] 

•  What type of surgery did you have? What do you consider the Pros and Cons of vocal fold surgery? Crico-thyroid approximation. Pros: immediate results. Cons (long term): irreversible. Transcription from Zoom interview:  “Well, you know after the surgery…I couldn't speak for three days. I mean I had to have complete vocal rest for three days or so…When I made my first sort of speech and gentle humming to sort of work the apparatus, the pitch was extremely high…for the first six months or so…But over time the voice sort of settled into its new tones and I found that my voice just sort of settled into its own natural state.” 

• You studied to be a voice teacher and voice coach at a performance-oriented school.  How did this training impact upon your voice journey? It gave my voice a new lease of life – I did my MA only 2 years after completing transition. I also came to see my voice as a unique gift that resonated (literally) within my work as an actor and teacher. I came to accept my voice for what it is.

•  What similarities and differences have you found between actors’ voice issues and transwomen’s (or men's) voice issues? As a “civilian” you don’t often need to speak to be heard at the back of a theatre, or using an accent other than your native one. On the other hand, actors and non-actors alike can all benefit from speaking freely on a supported breath, clearly enough to be understood.

• Do you have further aspirations for your own voice development? I love exploring my range and seeing how high and low I can take it. Years ago I wanted only to have a high pitch voice (AKA “female-sounding”), but nowadays I relish the notion of an ambiguous voice that is not easily discernible as a “female” or “male” voice.

• Do you have to do anything to maintain your voice? When I am working as both actor and teacher I do regular warm ups to maintain my vocal stamina. [Below is a clip of her commenting further on this question.]

• What aspects of voice work do you consider to be most important or most beneficial?Breath. Without a free, easy, open, supported breath, there is no voice. If you don’t have the breath, you don’t have the voice and your words will fall unheard.

• What aspects of voice modification do you find most challenging for your clients? Pitch change (upper/lower) and intonation. Some clients simply cannot hear pitch change. And yet everyone has an inherent sense of pitch – we hear it when we make an agreement sound – “hm-mm” – but not everyone can discern that change.  

Rebecca shared some of her thoughts on the importance of other salient characteristics of voice, such as intonation:

Rebecca shared some of her experiences and thoughts on misgendering:

And finally, I asked Rebecca what she would do differently if she could it all over again?

My heartfelt thanks and gratitude goes out to Rebecca for her time and candid sharing of her thoughts and experiences.

Small, but Powerful: the benefits of atomic habits

Successful people are creatures of habit – of habits that foster their success. Sam Harris’ Making Sense podcast entitled, Creatures of Habit explores the practice of habituating beneficial behaviours and reducing detrimental ones. In this podcast, he invited author James Clear to discuss his book, Atomic Habits. Clear chose this name, because he writes of making tiny changes in behaviour, the benefits of which compound exponentially. So many points expressed in this podcast discussion resonated with me as a therapist helping people to establish new, healthy ‘voicing habits’, but I will share only a few of the most relevant:

1. “True behaviour change is identity change.” Clear relates ‘behaviour’ to habits, both good and bad. Regarding establishing new, good habits, he explains,

“A habit is not a finish line to be crossed. It is a lifestyle to be lived.” The idea here is that your habits are part of your identity. He provides the following illustrations, “You know the goal is not to finish the marathon, the goal is to become a runner. The goal is not to read thirty books a year; it’s to become a reader… Once you have this new narrative to tell yourself, once you have this new way to look at yourself, you’re not really even forcing yourself to do it any more. You’re just acting in alignment with the type of person that you see yourself to be. And this is probably the ultimate reason why habits are so important.”

I have found the establishment of habits to be crucial to success. In my first career as a professional singer, I established the habit of a morning voice warm-up. After being up and about for three hours or so, I would begin my practice, which consisted of a second, short vocal warm-up followed by singing. I rested my voice with work on language (Italian, German, French, Czech pronunciation and rhythm). After lunch, I would resume singing. Always during practice, I made it a habit to continuously drink a variety of beverages to maintain hydration. These habits secured vocal health and facilitated meeting deadlines for performances. Later, when I turned my attention to voice therapy, I found the establishment of study habits crucial to my ability to go to university whilst supporting my children through secondary school, maintaining a household and trying to be a good partner to my husband. Good habits allowed me to fit it all in.

2. “A habit must be established before it can be improved upon.” This concept is particularly important when considered in relation to goals. I usually speak to my clients about the goals they have for themselves and goals they want to work toward with voice therapy. James Clear has given me pause to reconsider how I address goals in therapy. It is important to have goals, but more important is the system or process that is established in order to reach them. As Clear states, “You do not rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your process.” The ‘process’ here is the habit of practice. The discipline of prioritising dedicated time for voice work in your everyday life - for building the fundamental skills necessary to be the person you want to be. (see my post, Wax On, Wax Off) Basically, you have to habitually show up. Once the habit of showing up for work is established, then the work itself can be improved.

3. “It’s easier to build a new habit in a new environment.” Particularly pertinent today, because the COVID-19 pandemic has enforced a new environment on most people. Whilst many key workers are facing the most stressful and difficult days of their working lives, workers in non-essential roles are sequestered at home with little to no opportunity to pursue their usual activities. As such, those people have a brand new environment in which to establish new, healthy and beneficial habits. They may be harder to maintain in the future, but the benefits gained now may carry on for long afterward.

I’ve used the ‘new environment’ to begin this blog, for which I will continue to make time. I’ve embarked on providing remote voice therapy, which I suspect will carry on even after the restrictions are relaxed. I’ve begun cooking more and experimenting with recipes and I have moved my main meal to the middle of the day. I will certainly strive to continue with this healthier way of eating, if only just a weekends. Who knows, I may even find a way to continue with my new body weight exercise regime.

The take-away? Establishing good habits promotes personal growth. The thing to remember is, “habits are the evidence” that you are the person you want to be.

And she said, "One, two, cha-cha-cha"

What do you actually get from voice therapy?

Discipline
Maintaining motivation and commitment is hard for everyone, especially me. I take ballroom dancing lessons. I love dancing, but even so, by the time a Friday night rolls around and I am facing a 1.5 hour dance lesson, I have to engage in a mental battle with myself to get onto the dance floor. Every Friday. But, if I don’t go, not only do I let down my dance partner, but I also let down my instructor. In addition to feeling bad for standing them up, if I cancel, I’m out of pocket the cost of the lesson, which is not insignificant. So, I go.

Chances are, if like me, you pre-commit to voice therapy sessions, either by just making an appointment or, better yet, pre-paying for a block of therapy, you will be more motivated to take ownership and responsibility for creating the change you desire. Committing to therapy sessions encourages you to practice and prepare in order to get the most benefit from them, focusing your efforts and moving you forward at your optimal pace.

Process
How to start? What’s the sequence of learning? My first dance was the Cha-cha-cha. The first lesson – rhythm. You can’t dance without understanding the rhythm that lies beneath and drives the movement. Once you feel the rhythm, you layer on footwork, shifting weight and balance, movement through space, arm work and even head position. Finally, put all these components together and add another person and you are dancing!

Voice therapy de-mystifies the process of change. A therapist leads you in mastering the fundamentals of healthy voicing. They identify your vocal strengths and weaknesses, thus determining the primary areas of focus. Gaps in knowledge and skill are addressed. A step-wise therapy plan is designed and agreed to ensure you achieve maximum results with the least investment of time, effort and expense. The end result is a beautiful transformation.

Technical analysis
My dance teacher, Morgan Hemphill (pictured above) is a world champion in 10 Dance (Latin and Ballroom) and has the ability to precisely pinpoint flaws in the execution of dance steps. She is able to speak of degrees, angles, timing and measurements of space – the technical components of dance. In many ways, this information is analogous to acoustical analysis.

Acoustical analysis describes a voice signal in numerical units, technical measures that relate to the overall voice sound. Using specialist tools, such as voice analysis software, a voice therapist uses these measures to establish baseline voice parameters. These concrete measurements of voice provide data against which future measurements may be compared in order to track progress. Some therapists may even have the luxury of real-time visual feedback of voice production via specialist voice analysis tools.

Perceptual analysis
How clumsy do I look? How bad is it, really? Is all this work actually making a difference? Honestly, I don’t mind if my dancing isn’t perfect, as long as I don’t look like Elaine (on Seinfeld) on the dance floor. My dance teacher provides me with constructive feedback to help me move from clunky stomping through the steps to graceful, elegant execution of the dance. She is gentle, but candid with her visual assessment and tells me what I need to work on to improve. A voice therapist does the same with perceptual assessment of the voice.

Most people regard perceptual analysis as more important than acoustic analysis. After all, it’s how our voices are perceived by others that is of utmost importance. As such, a voice specialist therapist, with their highly trained ears, can provide real-time perceptual analysis of your voice. This feedback helps you to develop self-awareness and self-confidence. It helps you to establish your goals and monitor your progress.

Teaching
Drill, drill, drill! One of the most valuable skills offered by my dance instructor is her ability to break dance down into small components that need to be mastered before linking them all together. She assigns me small movements, or drills, to practice until I can do them up-to-speed without having to think about it. It’s this embedding of habit, the establishment of body memory, that frees my mind up for adding the final touches of beautiful nuances of movement.

Similarly, perhaps the most valuable benefit of voice therapy is the teaching you receive from your therapist. Therapists help you by designing an individualised plan to move you toward success. Following that plan, they teach you the targeted techniques and strategies, in small, bite-sized pieces. Once mastered, they layer the most appropriate exercises for you, focusing on what is needed for your particular voice. They provide education in anatomy, physiology and healthy voicing so you can practice confidently between sessions.

Coaching
My dance instructor is my coach. She demonstrates how to move through a dance with attention to the details that create a beautiful sequence, but keep me safe from injury. She tells me immediately when I do something wrong and helps me, through repetition, to do it better. She may use video recording to help me see myself in reality, rather than how I might imagine I look. Eventually, I get to the point of being able to add finishing touches, such as facial expressions and small accentuations of the body which make my dance “passable” – finally, I look like a dancer.

Similarly, therapists serve as vocal coaches. During sessions, therapists provide visual and auditory modelling and provide real-time, honest, constructive feedback on your practice. They may use recordings during sessions or for your use during practice at home to help embed new, good vocal habits. As your proficiency increases, they share advanced tips to polish and perfect the vocal sound.

Check-ins and Top-Ups
It’s been about a year since I last had a dance lesson. Even so, my husband and I can still make it round the dance floor, but our style is slipping (quite a lot). We are in desperate need of a couple of ‘top-up’ sessions, but now that COVID-19 has hit, we are looking at many more months before we are up and dancing again.

It’s not so bad for people who are working on their voices. During the voice modification process, a therapist can provide check-ins between sessions to answer questions and provide clarification. After you stop having regular sessions, they can offer ‘top-ups’ to help keep you on track. With the help of technology, these valuable sessions can still be accessed easily and safely.

A safe space.
Most importantly, as in a dance studio, a voice studio is a safe space to try and fail. A voice therapist is a non-judgmental partner who goes along with you on your voice modification journey, supporting you to become the person you want to be. They will offer the best of their skills and knowledge, encouragement and commitment to you to help you discover your unique voice. Engagement in voice therapy combines your best self with that of your therapist/teacher/coach.

"I'm going to learn a new voice."

This is what a client of mine said when she was asked what language she was going to learn during lockdown.  

Unlike most physical transformations, (such as hair removal, make-up and clothing and even, to some extent, reconstructive surgery) all of which have immediate discernable results, acquiring a voice that is congruent with identity requires more patience and resilience from trans men and women. Whilst habituating the fundamentals and foundations for healthy voicing is crucial, (see my post, Wax on...wax off), one of the biggest frustrations is the time required to practice and embed these vocal habits, with progress sometimes so gradual it is difficult to recognise and measure. 

Everyone is grappling with the restrictions mandated in response to COVID-19.  The people who seem better able to enjoy this period are those who turn the adversity of isolation to an advantage by investing in their own personal development (see my husband’s blog post, Embracing Lock-In).   As such, social distancing and self-isolation affords trans people with a particularly unique opportunity.  It provides time to create a new habit of voice.  Another silver lining is that it needn’t be a solitary endeavour.  Professional help can be obtained remotely via technology (see my post, Togetherness – Do we really need it?).

Learning a new voice - It’s personal, it’s vital and it’s life changing.  What a brilliant idea!

Wax on...wax off

Humans are impatient.  We want success immediately and the tendency is to rush toward our end goal without investing the requisite time and energy to adequately develop supporting foundations.  The ‘get-rich-quick’ approach.

But, transformation of any kind is a slow process.  Whether it’s building strength, increasing flexibility, learning to dance or playing an instrument (for ease, think weight lifting, fencing, ballet, yoga, piano) developing the correct form is key.  Maintaining correct form reduces risk of injury; develops the body in the appropriate manner and sequence; and builds power.  We strive to create “body memory” – habituated behaviours that support whatever skill we are developing.  The foundation of form is breathing and developing appropriate breath control is crucial to success.

The problem is, creating a strong foundation requires practice and it is so slow!  Practice doesn’t make perfect.  Perfect practice makes perfect.  A beautiful illustration can be found in the 1984 film, Karate Kid.  In this film, a young boy who is bullied in high school seeks out a famous karate master to teach him the ancient art of self-defense.  Mr Miyagi’s approach is not what he expected.  He spends hour upon hour doing boring and tiring ‘chores’ for Mr Miyagi.  Of course, there is method to Mr Miyagi’s madness.  Take a look at these clips (and notice how much Mr Miyagi emphasises breathing). 

Voice work is the same.  It’s an athletic endeavour and so we must take an approach that is methodical, patient and with continual self-assessment to ensure success.   Be your own Master. Take the time to build your foundation.  Practice.  Instil perfect body memory.  It will serve you well far into your future.

A controversial consideration.

image from https://www.staceyjanevocals.com/blog/www.staceyjanevocals.com/blog-2

People are unaware of the importance of their voices until they have a problem. It is our most expressive tool and most people don’t even realise it. A voice conveys almost everything there is to know about a person within a few seconds – age, health status, emotional state, education and socio-economic background (see my post, Just This). As such, achieving a speaking voice that conveys the real person inside is the goal for most trans people - and usually, the most difficult.

It is a daunting challenge for many trans people to modify their speaking voices to the degree that is satisfying for them, especially trans women. Voices are not like musical instruments, where pressing a key or covering a hole changes the pitch and quality of the sound. The voice is nebulous and just like clouds, if the desired sound is achieved, it is difficult to hold on to and recreate consistently.

We can remove hair, change our facial features with surgery, apply makeup, buy new clothing – all comparatively quickly and easily. If we can’t do it ourselves, someone else can do it for us. But the final touch, the clincher that ensures no mis-gendering, remains elusive to most people – that of a reliable, authentic voice. And in this new world of remote working, when visible cues may be limited to a headshot, the voice is of paramount importance.

Can anything make attainment of this goal any easier? There’s vocal fold surgery, but it’s risky and expensive and satisfying results are not guaranteed. My musings brought to mind a practice that is considered more and more often by medical professionals who help people with gender dysphoria - the delay of onset of puberty.

Pubertal delay is highly controversial, because by definition, pre-pubescent children are considered to not yet have enough maturity to make life-changing or medical decisions for themselves. Conversely, this argument may be one of the strongest reasons to consider puberty blockers, because the effects are not considered to be permanent. Once the treatment is stopped, puberty resumes. According to the Mayo Clinic, there are advantages, which make use of blockers worth considering: “…it pauses puberty, providing time to determine if a child's gender identity is long lasting. It also gives children and their families time to think about or plan for the psychological, medical, developmental, social and legal issues ahead.”

Of course, nothing is so simple. Although it is considered to be reversible, “The evidence of ‘reversibility’ is from studies in a different set of children; namely children with precocious puberty (a puberty disorder in which puberty commences very early.)” In these children, puberty is halted with blockers, but reinstated at a time that is in sync with other developmental growth stages. Most children with gender dysphoria go on to take cross sex hormones, the effects of which are not reversible. For those who do choose to discontinue using blockers without continuing to pursue a change of gender, the cessation of use does not coincide with other maturation stages. In addition, users are at risk of long-term effects on bone density and fertility, so this intervention must be carefully managed. To top it all off, the effects of pubertal blockers on the developing brain are as yet undetermined.

With regards to achieving a voice that is in keeping with gender, delaying onset of puberty is helpful for young trans women. “At puberty, boys' vocal fold grows up to 1 cm, leading to an average lowering of the fundamental frequency by one octave. In girls, the vocal fold grows less than 4 mm.” (Schneider, MA, et al. Brain Maturation, Cognition and Voice Pattern in a Gender Dysphoria Case under Pubertal Suppression, 2017) In this study (and many others), hormone therapy (gonadotropin-releasing hormone, GnRH) to suppress onset of puberty of an 11 year old cismale mitigated the effects of testosterone on the maturation of vocal folds. Without the effects of testosterone, lowering of fundamental frequency (f0) was limited to 30Hz during the first year of treatment. After 20 months, the mean f0 increased again to 228, well within the average range for women in Brazil, which is considered to be 150-250Hz.

The current available evidence suggests that young trans women who have undergone hormone therapy to suppress puberty may find production of a satisfying female voice easier to achieve, because the physiological changes to the larynx (laryngeal lowering, decrease of angle of thyroid cartilage, vocal fold lengthening) were halted. As one’s voice is central to one’s identity, use of puberty blockers bears consideration.

Preventing COVID-19 Infection - There’s more to it than just washing your hands.

ALL THIS HAND WASHING!  As an Allied Health Professional working daily with vulnerable adults with complex needs, I want to remind everyone about a rarely mentioned infection control measure – maintaining skin health and integrity.  

Never before have we used so much soap and sanitising gel.  And I’m sure most of us, especially those who work with vulnerable people, are suffering with dry, cracked skin on our hands.  It’s painful and unsightly, but more importantly, those small cracks and bits of dryness on the fronts and backs of hands and around cuticles stubbornly harbour microorganisms such as bacteria, yeast, staphylococci, and other potential pathogens, even after washing.  This phenomenon is easily evidenced by use of a black light, which highlights collection of bacteria between fingers, around the nails, in the creases of knuckles and in the lines of dry or cracked skin.  The problem is these microorganisms can be introduced into the environment (or another person) during the skin’s natural exfoliation process. 

In her article, Hand Hygiene and Infection Control: Skin Care Supports Patient Care, Deborah Davis writes, “Damaged skin may harbor increased numbers of pathogens and often sheds higher numbers of organisms. Additionally, washing damaged skin is less effective at reducing bacteria than washing normal skin…There is even biological evidence to support the idea that using emollients on the skin of clinicians may protect against cross-infection.” 

So, an important second step in hand hygiene is using moisturising and barrier creams each time you wash your hands.  Healthy skin, with its own natural barrier to bacteria and pathogens is easier to clean and by keeping your skin to yourself, you will help reduce risk of cross-contamination.

When it comes to the sound of your voice, does culture matter?

Well, not so much, according to research.  I’ve been considering whether cultural influences affect how voices are perceived and appreciated, mostly because I realise my perceptual preferences have developed from a purely western aesthetic.  I began to think that perhaps I should pay closer attention to the norms of other countries/cultures/ethnicities. 

I found an interesting journal article reporting the findings of an experiment comparing Finnish and Estonian male and female voices (Pajupuu, Hille, et al. The Effects of Culture on Voice Likeabilty, TRAMES, 2019, 23(73/68), 2, 239–257). This journal article quoted many other studies, the results into which I won’t delve.  Instead, I will share broad ideas gleaned from these studies.  

 The authors state, “People with likable voices are considered socially attractive: friendly, competent, self-assured and trustworthy.”  Agreeing with that premise, I was curious to know whether my instincts about what makes a voice sound like that were correct.  I found the results both interesting and reassuring.  Interesting in that many characteristics I thought would make a big difference to how pleasing a voice sounds, and which may vary from culture to culture, didn’t factor much at all.  Reassuring in that the area I thought would be most important to address, especially when working with transgender voices, was concluded to be ubiquitously important.

 So, what didn’t matter so much?

Similarity – There is something called similarity-attraction effect, where “people trust those who are similar to them.”  But then, “foreign-accented speech can be perceived as more attractive than native-accented speech and speakers of a foreign language can be perceived as more attractive than speakers of the listeners’ native language.”  But, according to Yiu, Edwin M.-L. et al., “voice qualities vary between languages, even in the same speaker… and familiarity of language increases how harshly the voices are judged.”

 Voice pitch - For English speakers, it seems people want more of the extremes.  Westerners prefer “men with voices a little lower than average and women with voices higher than average”.   This preference for higher female voices is in contrast to the progressive lowering of speaking pitch in women’s voices over the last 50 years.  (See my post, You may be closer than you think.)  In fact, in Pajupuu’s study, pitch did not factor significantly at all.

 Speech rate – Historically, it has been accepted that women speak more slowly than men, and consequently, this was a desired feature of feminine speech.  However, a study of American female speakers found “likable voices are high, but also exhibit a fast speech rate and vocal fry” (Parker and Borrie, 2018). 

 Gender and age – Neither of these parameters made significant impact on whether a voice was considered likeable, although a higher pitch was associated with youthfulness.

 So, if presence or absence of similarity, speaking pitch, rate of speech, gender and age are not significant, what characteristics make a voice pleasant and desirable?  

 Prosodic features - A study by Ding, et al. (2017, 2018) discovered “prosodic features in voices that direct listeners to prefer the same voices among both native and non-native speech.”   Prosodic features relate to expressiveness of communication – frequency (pitch) variation, energy, fluctuation in loudness and articulation. 

 Context - Voice likability also depends on the context of the speech sample, e.g. conversational, lecture, interview, radio commentary, talk show, etc.  These situation-specific speech styles are known as ‘phonogenre’.   In studies that looked at these parameters, conversational style was considered to be most attractive and indifferent or lecture styles were least favourable.

 Quality and timbre - Finally, Pajupuu’s study concluded, “Most differentiating parameters were related to voice quality and timbre.”  These terms refer to the combination of acoustic parameters that make each voice unique.  They result from the miniscule differences in the vocal tract and how each person manipulates the vocal tract to achieve resonance - the most nebulous area of voice work.  Supporting this assertion, in this study, the colour or tone quality of voice was a feature of ‘likeability’ in voices.  Amongst other studies, descriptors such as “darker” colour and “not nasal” were used to describe desirable features of voice quality.

 This conclusion supports my instincts.  Most every other feature of voice and speech is more important than pitch.  It’s the combination of appealing speech pattern characteristics with an acoustic signal that is pleasing to the ear that results in a pleasant and authentic voice.  This combination was proven to be effective and appreciated cross-culturally.  Everyone likes the same thing – qualities that make a voice both interesting and pleasant to hear.

Togetherness - Do we really need it?

As I considered my reaction to self-isolation in response to the now officially proclaimed pandemic of Covid-19, I considered this health scare may forever change the way people work.  This phenomenon and the increased relevance of remote working is the hot topic of the moment. 

 Some people are reticent to adopt new strategies for communicating with others.  I have found it to be an undeniably necessary change – my family live in another country with a time difference of 5 hours, so email and messenger have proved to be the most effective means of staying in touch.  My children live 1.5 hours away and it is no exaggeration to say that if I want to connect with them, it must be through digital communication and social media.  Distance is not the only motivator for the use of digital communication – somewhat embarrassing to confess, my husband often chooses to communicate with me via email, even though I am sitting in the same room!  

 Most members of the workforce are not at liberty to change the way they work (health and social care workers, diagnosticians, people who move goods, many small retailers, etc.).  I’m one of the fortunate ones who can, and I already use technology to connect with others and share information. 

 One might think that a therapist working on a physical issue would not be able to work remotely, but I’ve been doing it for a while, now. I have experimented with providing voice therapy via Skype and it seems to work rather well.  This combination of video and audio enables me to see and listen to someone for perceptual assessment of voice and it allows me to demonstrate and discuss ways to transform the voice sound signal. 

 Using Skype allows my sessions to be more affordable.  Clients do not need to travel to see me in London or Buckinghamshire, the cost in time and expense of which is considerable.  It allows me to offer evening sessions, which also is beneficial to people who work, as they needn’t take time off to attend a clinic.  Lastly, I don’t have to pay for room rental.  As such, I can pass the savings on to my clients in the form of a 25% reduction of my fee.

 There are drawbacks, however.  My style of teaching can be rather tactile, so obviously, I have to alter how I explain concepts and how I demonstrate.  As stated by Devin Coldewey in How to Work During a Pandemic (https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/01/how-to-work-during-a-pandemic/). “When you’re forced to fall back from your strengths, you necessarily encounter your own weaknesses.”  I realise I rely heavily on face-to-face teaching strategies, so I am now considering how I might adapt my instruction to better suit remote teaching, such as use of pictorial illustrations to enhance understanding of vocal concepts.

 The point is this:  fear of contracting or transferring Coronavirus need not stop you from developing you voice.  By having voice therapy sessions via Skype, you are able to continue therapy whilst reducing your exposure to the virus.

Just this...

Angela Hsieh - https://www.npr.org/2019/07/15/741827437/finding-your-voice-how-the-way-we-sound-shapes-our-identities?t=1583403374789

“The human voice is an index of identity, encoding everything from age to gender, education to nationality. To manipulate the voice is to fundamentally alter the self.” - Rivkah Brown

Voice Over-Use or Misuse?

Can you damage your vocal cords by voice training too much?

Voice misuse is a problem, not voice over-use.  

The vocal cords and laryngeal musculature are made up of slow-twitch muscle fibre, which is specifically designed to endure extended use without fatigue.  Think about how often we use our vocal folds - with every swallow, even just whilst swallowing saliva, our vocal cords close tightly to protect the airway from intrusion and keep fluids and foods from entering our lungs.  That’s about 500-700 times a day.  We even swallow during sleep.  Our vocal folds also close to create sub-glottal pressure enabling us to lift heavy objects, give birth and defecate.  In addition, most of us talk all day, sing and even shout without suffering any negative consequences.

So, let’s consider some behaviours that may cause vocal fold damage.  We can speak at length in a cosy corner of a quiet restaurant or pub without feeling any negative effects, but if we speak loudly with strain over loud background noise in a crowded pub or club, we are likely to experience pain and change of voice within a very short time.

Excessive coughing and throat clearing can cause vocal fold damage because of the high level of force with which the vocal folds collide during these acts.  The force is necessary to expel any offensive material that triggered the cough (remember, the vocal folds protect the airway).  Whilst coughing is usually a reflexive response, throat clearing can become an undesirable habitual behaviour.

Shouting without sufficient breath support and optimum resonance to carry the voice often causes vocal fold damage (consider coaches and school teachers).  Excessive muscle tension and strain is the culprit for these professionals, as well as for stage performers, presenters, barristers and of course, singers.

So, the key is to train with good technique.  This is where a Speech and Language Therapist or singing voice specialist adds value.  These professionals can guide you in exercising your voice in the healthiest way, using well-trained auditory and visual assessment skills to provide feedback on your progress.  They can teach you exercises with built-in safeguards against vocal damage. 

Singers, professional voice users and transgender people are vocal athletes (vocal workouts are the same as other muscular workouts).  People underestimate how similar voice training is to athletic training.  If you are new to voice work, it is prudent to build up stamina by gradually increasing the amount of time you work out and gradually increasing the vocal load.  Just as with weight lifting and flexibility training, your vocal workouts will progress in small increments over time.  Patience and care is necessary for most people to reach their goals whilst ensuring risk of vocal damage is kept to a minimum.

You may be closer than you think.

Photo from https://www.bustle.com/articles/149928-the-evolution-of-androgynous-fashion-throughout-the-20th-century-photos

Transgender people are, naturally, concerned either about how feminine or masculine their voices sound.  An interesting cultural phenomenon has occurred in western society that actually has a positive influence on how transgender voices are perceived.  Basically, the pitch range of ciswomen has lowered over the past several decades, as women become more competitive in the workplace.  See https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20180612-the-reasons-why-womens-voices-are-deeper-today

This lowering of average speaking pitch brings the gender-neutral pitch range more easily within reach for transwomen. The Cismale speaking pitch range is 100-140 Hz.  The Cisgender neutral range is 145-175 Hz.  An excerpt from the website from University of Iowa Voice-Academy reads, There probably is more overlap between female and male voice pitches than you thought: males often speak at 65 to 260 Hertz, while females speak in the 100 to 525 Hz range. Thus, a voice of 100 to 260 Hz is just as "masculine" as it is "feminine."  

In addition to Margaret Thatcher, consider some famous women with infamously low speaking voices:

• Nina Simone (singer)

• Toni Braxton (singer)

• Marlene Dietrich (actress)

• Brett Butler (American actress)

• Geena Davis (American Actress)

• Candice Bergen (American model and actress)

• Lauren Bacall (American actress)

• Pink (American singer)

• Jazmine Sullivan (singer)

Interestingly, with the exception of Marlene Dietrich, all these women are American, suggesting the possibility of a cultural influence on pitch range of speaking voices.  I shall be exploring this possibility in future posts.

Breathing can be a bad habit.

Well, what I mean is, we all can get into bad breathing habits.  We take our breathing for granted.  After all, we don’t have to think about it and we do it everyday, all day, and even whilst we sleep.  So, how can it be that we adopt bad breathing habits and what should we do about it?  This is one of the first discussions I have with all of my clients, whether they be singers, people with physiological voice problems or trans-people working to modify their voices.  Many people have to re-learn diaphragmatic breathing, also known as abdominal breathing or belly breathing.

Diaphragmatic breathing is optimal breathing. Yes, we can all get by on sub-standard inhalation and exhalation for normal, non-challenging existence. If you are an athlete, a singer or a person who makes special demands on your voice at all, you will benefit from perfecting this breathing style and then enhancing it further.

A recent issue of Harvard Medical School HEALTHbeat describes the benefits of this optimal breathing technique to people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but they also explain why it is beneficial to everyone: 

“Learning diaphragmatic breathing”

• All of us are born with the knowledge of how to fully engage the diaphragm to take deep, refreshing breaths. As we get older, however, we get out of the habit. Everything from the stresses of everyday life to the practice of "sucking in" the stomach for a trimmer waistline encourages us to gradually shift to shallower, less satisfying "chest breathing." Relearning how to breathe from the diaphragm is beneficial for everyone. Diaphragmatic breathing (also called "abdominal breathing" or "belly breathing") encourages full oxygen exchange — that is, the beneficial trade of incoming oxygen for outgoing carbon dioxide. Not surprisingly, this type of breathing slows the heartbeat and can lower or stabilize blood pressure.

If you want to connect with your breathing and ensure you are able to use diaphragmatic breathing, I suggest you do the following exercise first thing in the morning, before you rise and face the stressors of your day.  Then at the end of the day, when you have retired to bed, you can use this exercise as a sort of breathing meditation, which may promote relaxation and sleep along with practicing optimal breathing technique.  

Once you are able to execute diaphragmatic breathing whilst lying down, graduate to sitting and standing.  Keep working to make this manner of breathing habitual.

Rediscovering Diaphragmatic Breathing

• Lie comfortably on your back on your bed or floor, with your head and knees supported by a pillow. You may prefer to rest your feet comfortably on the floor, with your knees up.  Relax.

• Place one hand on your upper chest and the other on your abdomen, just below your rib cage.  Your little finger should be approximately at your navel.

• Breathe in slowly through your nose, letting the air in deeply.  The hand on your chest should remain relatively still, not totally still, and the one on your belly should rise markedly.  This rise is caused by the contraction and subsequent lowering of your abdominal muscle which increases the space in the thoracic cavity and so the lungs can inflate more fully.  You may visualise the incoming air as inflating a ‘belly balloon’.

• Allow your abdominal muscles to move inward as you exhale through your lips. You should notice that your hand on your belly should move down as you exhale and your stomach flattens. This flattening is the result of natural recoil of the abdominal muscle back to its resting dome shape.

Have a go and good luck breaking those bad breathing habits!