Frequência fundamental e opinião sobre a voz de mulheres transgênero

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to determine the average fundamental frequency of transgender women's voices and compare it with their opinions about their voices and the report of their perceptions about the interlocutors' feedback.METHODS: Cross-sectional study of 25 transgender women between 19 and 46 years of age (mean, 32.2 years). Fundamental frequency variables obtained through Multi-Dimensional Voice Program Advanced (Kay PENTAX®), transgender women's opinions about their voices, and their report on listeners' opinions about their voices, obtained through a semi-structured interview with open questions, were assessed and compared using Fisher’s exact test and the Kappa coefficient.RESULTS: The average fundamental frequency of the transgender women group was 156.10 Hz. The majority of transgender women had a negative opinion about their voice, while the majority of reports on the views of listeners were positive.CONCLUSIONS: Most transgender women naturally have a higher fundamental frequency without interventions. Additionally, they reported a negative perception of their voices despite listeners reporting a favorable opinion. This suggests that transgender women's vocal satisfaction is not directly related to fundamental frequency; moreover, other vocal markers can be addressed with the help of a speech therapist. Furthermore, we confirm that vocal self-assessment protocols are essential tools in evaluating the transgender population in the gender affirmation process.