Voice and Communication Therapy for Transgender/Transsexual
Clients
[
en Español]
What is voice and communication therapy for
transgender/transsexual clients?
In general, men and women communicate differently. For
example, most men tend to speak with lower pitched voices, while
women use higher pitched voices. Women often use more gestures
when they speak. Men may use shorter sentences that get more to
the point. Individuals who are transgender/transsexual often
elect to have voice and communication therapy to help them use
their voice in a safe way and communicate more like the opposite
gender of that in which they were born.
The Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association
(HBIGDA) has established standards of care within the area of
transsexual medicine for individuals wishing to have genital
reconstructive surgery (GRS). GRS is a surgical procedure that
transforms the body to the gender opposite of that in which the
person was born. An individual who chooses to have GRS must see a
psychologist for 2 years and live full-time in the new gender
role. Voice and communication therapy services are recommended
during this time.
What does the speech-language pathologist do when working with
transgender/transsexual clients?
The speech-language pathologist (SLP) provides voice and
communication training for male-to-female (MtF) clients and for
female-to-male (FtM) clients. The SLP will look at a variety of
aspects of communication, including vocal pitch, intonation and
resonance, and nonverbal communication.
Assessment will involve the collection of a case history and
medical history, and assessment of voice and language. It is also
important for the SLP to eliminate any vocal abusive behaviors
resulting from changes in pitch and intensity. For example, an
MtF client may try to speak in a higher pitched voice; if not
done correctly, this can lead to vocal nodules or other voice
problems.
The following are some of the things that the SLP may choose
to work on:
- pitch
- resonance
- intonation (the rhythm of speech)
- rate (how fast or slow the person speaks)
- volume/intensity
- language
- speech sound production (articulation)
- pragmatics (social rules of communication)
What other organizations have information about
transgender/transsexual clients?
World Professional Association
for Transgender Health
(WPATH)
Voice and Speech Trainers of
America
(VASTA)