In this post, I'd like to address the basics of vocal feminization often used by Male-to-Female (MtF) transgender individuals to "feminize" the voice to achieve a female gender perception. As you'll read in Jackson Hearns and Kremer's book, The Singing Teacher's Guide to Transgender Voices, MtF is a tricky term to use here, as it draws attention to the gender a trans individual likely wants to avoid. Here, transgender woman is a more appropriate term, but I use FtM because in many scientific articles in the field, especially in The Journal of Voice, this term is still commonly used. In articles of this nature, you might also see the term transsexual, which is not equivalent to transgender. Transsexual is an outdated medical term and should be avoided.
More information on gender available at genderbread.org.
Check out my suggested readings on transgender voices here.
How does one feminize the voice?
The voice can be one of the greatest challenges a trans individual faces when transitioning. Our brains have been wired throughout society to associate certain vocal qualities and pitches with certain physical presentations, so before a person speaks, we’ve already decided what they should sound like based on what they look like.
A trans person might often find their voice feels out of place and doesn’t match their gender identity, called voice dysphoria, a term found in many sources on this topic. Nearly all trans people will experience this, and our ability as teachers to understand and support students through this is vital. Many trans people who transition will seek help from a speech-language pathologist (SLP), doctors, therapists, and us as voice teachers to help them through this process.
Vocal feminization is possible through speech training with a SLP, usually using a falsetto or mixed voice to achieve a lighter, higher and more typical cisgender female sound. Feminine voices are usually brighter due to a shorter vocal tract in assigned female at birth (AFAB) people who do not naturally produce testosterone. Similarly, articulation is usually more precise and forward. There are a variety of spoken and sung exercises to work through this with a singer.
Encouraging a healthy low larynx and using dark vowels like [ʌ] for masculinization or a shortened vocal tract, slightly raised larynx, and bright vowels like [i]. JH and K offer replacing vowels in a simple piece like Caro Mio Ben with [ʌ] or [i], respectively—ex. “kʌ-rʌ mʌ bʌn.”
Another option for vocal feminization is surgery. These surgeries are proven to be effective, but like TRT (see Vocal Masculinization post), they need more research on the effects for singers and all risk factors should be considered by medical professionals, the student, and the voice teacher.
One surgical option is cricothyroid approximation (CTA), which permanently sutures the cricothyroid muscle into a contracted position at a variable degree, limiting the voice to its upper range and can prevent drops into a lower voice for a trans woman speaking in falsetto most of the time. Thyrohyoid elevation physically raises the larynx in the throat to shorten the vocal tract for a more feminine-perceived sound. Anterior Glottoplasty (sometimes known as GP) involves shortening the vibrating length of the vocal folds so that a higher comfortable speaking pitch can be achieved. Feminization Laryngoplasty (FemLar) is a complex surgery where the thyroid cartilage is reduced and the anterior portion of the vocal folds is removed and thyrohyoid elevation is also completed. These surgeries are effective, but they are much less researched and need further development. In Kelly’s article (see my suggested readings), for example, 24 patients who had received GP or CTA were studied, and CTA caused such irreversible speaking range, it is no longer performed at that hospital, so GP is being developed further. For a singer pursuing a career in music, these are hard surgeries to recommend, but they are still options to be discussed with medical professionals and carefully considered. Many of these studies noted that though surgeries are successful, some participants still felt vocal dysphoria and considered themselves to have a vocal disability. Often, a variety of therapies can be used to work toward a trans person’s desired voice.
Learn More
Check out this vlog series by Isabella “Bunny” Bennett of Steam Powered Giraffe showing many phases of her transition as a trans woman.
Ava Rose is another Youtuber who has documented her transition using hormones.
Eden The Doll, a trans Youtuber talks about getting vocal feminization surgery. (Warning: profanity) This is a serious procedure and should not be taken lightly. Eden documents her voice 5 months following the operation.