How to help trans people identify with their voice

rose marquez

Speech is the main communication tool that people have and a reflection of their character. However, many do not feel identified with their own voice, this is the case of trans people who often have to take hormones or undergo surgery to adapt their voice to their gender. These invasive and irreversible techniques can be replaced by other less drastic and equally effective ones. The 'Voice and Identity' summer course aims to publicize the latest developments in this field through presentations and practical workshops.

"We began to be interested in this topic because many doctors referred us to trans singers who were not capable of singing with a voice appropriate to their gender, so we developed a technique so that they could achieve it without having to undergo surgery," explains Fernando García Escudero, professor of the URJC and vocal coach. “The cases of transition from woman to man are easier, since with medication the larynx grows and the voice becomes masculinized almost automatically, however, the transition from man to woman is much more problematic. With an intervention, the voice sharpens, but this is not enough, it also has to be adapted to the physique, because if you are 1,85 cm tall you cannot have a voice of more than 230 Hz”, recalls García Escudero, who recommends getting very well informed. before undergoing a surgical procedure. “Wendler's glottoplasty shortens the vocal cords, but the larynx is a vital organ, through which we breathe and eat. After such an intervention, the person may feel like a diver, by inhaling less air. We have created a method to stretch the vocal cords in a functional way, with classic singing techniques such as laryngeal flexibility”.

Among the speakers, there are specialists from many fields, from internists, surgeons or endocrinologists to psychologists, since the problem requires multidisciplinary treatment. The singer María Coral and the actress Toni Díaz also participate in the course, who contribute their knowledge and experience as trans women and as professionals, since both use their voices as a work tool.

With this, there are already three summer courses that the Rey Juan Carlos University dedicates to the voice. The first, in 2021, was focused on post-COVID recovery, while last year's seminar dealt with clinical teleintervention and its applications in the diagnosis and treatment of vocal pathologies. In this third edition, the university reaffirms its ongoing commitment to innovation and research in emerging areas, in order to build a more inclusive society that is respectful of diversity.