Wear Your Favorite Voice: Transgender Voice Therapy in Taiwan
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This article is part of the 61st issue of LEAP — Voices of Youth e-letter. Subscribe now.
When you hear announcements on the metro, do you ever wonder if the announcer is male or female? Even without seeing the speaker’s appearance, people begin to judge their gender the moment they hear their voice. Many transgender individuals are troubled by their voices. Despite carefully choosing their outfits and hairstyles, they fear that speaking might reveal their original gender.
For many transgender people, physical appearance is a daily challenge — whether through dress, hormones, or gender-affirming surgeries to align their bodies with their gender identity. Voice, however, is like an invisible outfit. Although not seen by the naked eye, it shapes a person’s overall image and gender expression, making speaking an invisible hurdle in their lives.
In Taiwan, transgender voice therapy is a relatively overlooked topic. We interviewed a transgender woman who has undergone voice therapy and a seasoned speech therapist to discuss how voice therapy can transform the lives of transgender individuals.
Listening Carefully, Speaking Cautiously: Daily Voice Practice for Transgender People
Stella is a transgender woman. However, she dislikes her own voice, and ordering food in public or booking reservations over the phone is her biggest nightmare. Despite her highly feminine appearance, she fears her voice might “not pass” and arouse strangers’ suspicions.
Stella enjoys singing in the shower. One day, while humming in the bathroom, she had an epiphany, and began to know how to use resonance to adjust her singing voice. At the time, she was midway through her voice therapy. Previously untrained in voice techniques, she had found the knowledge too abstract and difficult to grasp until that moment of clarity turned it into a manageable skill.
Voice therapy sessions are demanding. For a month, she attended intensive courses three times a week, and she had to squeeze them into her schedule after spending a long day at school. If she stayed up late the night before, she had to spend extra time warming up her voice before starting the session.
To find her desired voice, Stella paid attention to her classmates’ voices at school, analyzing what she liked and disliked, and observed the voices of people chatting in cafes. These exercises sharpened her sensitivity to voices and helped her assess her own voice and vocal cords.
In the later stages of therapy, Stella began to pinpoint her style, discarding techniques that didn’t suit her. “I couldn’t meet their standards, like speaking very clearly and precisely. My friends say my personality is more cheeky and straightforward, and if I spoke too precisely, it would sound even more annoying.”
Despite the challenges, Stella feels the effort was worth it. After voice therapy, she once called to inquire about her obligatory military service, and the person on the other end asked, “Are you [Stella’s birth name]’s mother?” This minor misunderstanding made her both amused and happy, proving that her voice had become more feminine. She also enjoys showcasing her new voice to friends, and recommends voice therapy to her transgender peers.
Transgender Voice Therapy Raises Confidence in Speaking
Stella’s struggles are common among many transgender people, especially transgender women. After undergoing hormone therapy, transgender men experience changes in their vocal cords due to male hormones, resulting in a deeper, coarser voice similar to that of a teenage boy going through puberty.
However, hormone therapy doesn’t change the voices of transgender women. Some opt for vocal cord surgery to alter their voice structure, but this irreversible procedure carries risks and doesn’t guarantee the desired outcome.
After voice therapy, Stella once listened to an old podcast recording and was astonished by how much her voice had changed. “I realized my voice had changed drastically. It was a more feminine speaking style, but I wasn’t satisfied with the pitch and quality.”
Voice therapy brought tangible changes to her life and unexpected benefits. With her love of singing, she found that she could better grasp singing techniques, observe how singers perform, and achieve vocal effects she previously couldn’t. She likens voice therapy to gaining a new toolkit that enriches understanding of new techniques, alleviates daily frustrations for transgender people, and is applicable in various aspects of life.
Transgender people face many visible barriers, such as changing their bodies and appearances. Voice is another invisible barrier, compromising their ability to express themselves and build relationships. Voice therapy helped Stella overcome this unseen hurdle, with speech therapists playing a crucial role in the process. In the other article, we interview experienced speech therapists to explore their perspectives on transgender voice therapy.
[1] “Pass” is a term commonly used by transgender people, referring to the ability to be perceived and treated by strangers as their identified gender in daily “gender checks.”
Also in This Issue: The Voice Tailor: An Interview with Speech Therapist Sherry Fu
Speech therapist Sherry Fu wants her clients to feel that their new voices are tailor-made.
Author: Lin Hung-cheng
Freelance journalist exploring gender and public issues.
