Voice Training

Voice training, also called gender-affirming voice therapy, is a set of non-surgical techniques for changing how a person's voice sounds and how they speak. Because voice is a strong social cue for gender, many transgender and gender-diverse people work on pitch, resonance, vocal weight, and speech habits so their voice feels more aligned with who they are. This work is often guided by a speech-language pathologist, though some people practice on their own. Feminizing voice work is especially common, since testosterone lowers the voice during transition but estrogen does not raise it. Good training also teaches people how to build these changes safely and avoid straining or damaging the vocal cords.