The importance of gender-affirming voice therapy for trans women

A voice that does not match one’s gender identity can contribute to gender dysphoria. Therapy to feminise or masculinise the voice is, therefore, an important part of the gender transition process for transgender people. The purpose of this paper is to explore the perspectives of transgender women on voice feminisation therapy. Three transgender women undergoing voice feminisation therapy participated in this qualitative study. Semi-structured interviews were chosen as the method of data collection, and the data were processed using thematic analysis. The thematic analysis revealed three main themes: the motivation for voice change and the reasons for voice therapy, the challenges encountered during the process of voice feminisation, and participants’ experiences of voice therapy. Although the experiences of the participants varied, they consistently emphasised the positive effects of therapy on self-confidence, quality of life, and a reduction of gender dysphoria. In addition, this study emphasises the need for increased accessibility of information about transgender services, as well as an increase in the number of vocal therapists offering these services.