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“I’m constantly being misgendered when I’m on the phone.”
“I get gendered correctly by strangers until I start to speak.”
“It’s so frustrating to deal with the reactions to my voice that I don’t bother expressing myself.”
Does any of this sound familiar?
If so, I can help.
I’m Sophie Edwards, creative writer, transgender history researcher, and artist.
But most importantly, I’m a trans woman myself.
I’ve been where you are.
I know how messy the process of transitioning can be, and how sharply voice dysphoria can sting.
Heartaches by the number, but ecstasy by the score as well.
But voice feminization training doesn’t have to be a miserable process.
It can actually be fun.
Book a FREE introductory consultation with me today. We’ll talk about where you’re currently at, what your goals are, and whether there’s a fit for us to work together.
Or, read on to find out more.
Why Should You Feminize Your Voice?
Now, let’s make one thing clear:
If you like your voice the way it is, that’s okay.
There’s nothing wrong with that.
When I first got into this line of work, I told myself I never wanted to make any trans person feel badly about their voice.
I’m a gender liberationist, not an assimilationist.
If you’re a woman, your voice is a woman’s voice.
That’s all there is to it.
So I’m never going to tell anybody what they should and shouldn’t do with their voice. There is no “should” in transgender voice feminization.
There’s just you, and what you want.
That said, here are some of the more common reasons to do voice feminization training girls tell me:
To Reduce Dysphoria
Obviously, right?
There are as many different reasons to feel dysphoria as there are trans people. But gender dysphoria is a big one.
Voices that are read as traditionally masculine feel different in your body. That’s because of a difference in resonance – more on that later. But this feeling itself can trigger dysphoria.
Voice feminization training can help alleviate that.
To Improve Confidence
Some girls tell me they blend in well with the world around them, until they open their mouth. If that’s the case for you, that might make you reluctant to speak.
But you’ve got ideas worth expressing!
If your voice is limiting your ability to express yourself, voice feminization training can help.
To Feel Safer
Many trans people live in areas where it feels unsafe to be openly trans.
It’s important for trans rights in general to have examples of people like us being out and proud, of course. But not everyone is prepared or capable of dealing with the realities of being visibly transgender in a transphobic world.
For many of us, it feels safer to blend in with cisgender society as best as possible. In that case, voice feminization training can help.
Do I Need a Transgender Voice Feminization Coach?
Sometimes, trans girls question whether they need to hire a coach. Can’t you just feminize your voice on your own?
Well, I don’t know, can you?
I know some girls who have, and that’s cool. Nothing wrong with that.
But think of it from a fitness perspective.
Want to lose weight?
Build strength?
Look hotter in a bikini?
Whatever your fitness goals are, there are tons of YouTube videos out there you can use.
But personal trainers are still a thing.
Why?
First, it’s hard to know what exercises to do, and whether you’re doing them properly.
A coach can show you how to do them properly, and correct any errors in your form.
You don’t get that on your own, which can create uncertainty.
That uncertainty will make it a lot easier for you to procrastinate on your exercises.
“I’ll do it tomorrow” becomes a mantra. Tomorrow becomes next week, becomes next month, becomes three years from now.
But if you have a course charted for you, and regular sessions to keep up with it, you’re much more likely to stay on track.
That’s the real value I can bring.
If you look online, you’ll see many of the voice feminization exercises people come up with are pretty similar. There are only so many possible ways to learn to gain better control over your vocal muscles, after all.
So, if you can do it on your own, that’s great.
But if you’re struggling, you’re not alone.
I’m here to help.
Book Your FREE Intro Session Today
Get your questions answered, and find out how Sophie can help.
What Is A Mindful Approach To Transgender Voice Feminization Coaching?
My protocol is built around the concept of mindfulness, which might be a new concept to some people.
If that’s true for you, let’s start there.
When you’re training your voice, it’s easy to be pulled out of the moment.
Concerns about the future, laments about what could have been, and dysphoria are all legitimate feelings.
It’s okay to feel them.
However, they can distract from our goals – to uncover a feminine voice you love.
That’s where mindfulness can help.
Mindfulness is a form of traditional Buddhist meditation. It was popularized here in the west by microbiologist Jon Kabat-Zinn.
The basic principle of mindfulness is to be present, in the moment, fully experiencing the here and now.
Through mindfulness, we can work to produce a state not of reaction, but of observation. This has multiple benefits.
Mindful Voice Feminization Helps You Get In Touch With Your Body
Most of the girls I work with have zero vocal training. That means you might not have an intuitive understanding of the muscles involved in speech.
That’s okay.
Through mindfulness, we can build a strong understanding of the different muscles and sensations involved in your voice.
From there, we can learn to control them.
That gives us what we need to shape your voice into something more feminine.
Easier said than done sometimes, I get it.
I work exclusively with girls who’ve spent the vast majority of their lives dissociating from how their body feels.
Don’t worry, you’re not the first – and you won’t be the last.
We’ll work through it together.
Mindful Voice Feminization Helps Alleviate Voice Dysphoria
Dysphoria in voice training can be a roadblock for many girls, because it pulls you out of the moment.
Now, of course it’s okay to feel dysphoria.
You’re allowed to feel whatever it is you feel in sessions.
But voice dysphoria comes from a judgment of how your voice is perceived.
When we take a more mindful approach to exploring voice, it becomes less about judgment, and more about observation. This can help us see things as they are, which makes it easier to get where we need to go.
Voice Feminization Coaching Testimonials
Don’t just take my word for it. Here’s what other girls (and nonbinary folks!) have said about working with me.
Sophie’s Transgender Voice Feminization Coaching Work?
When it comes to voice feminization training, I take a three phase approach, built around mindful exploration of your voice.
Phase 1: Fundamentals Of Voice
During this phase, we’ll spend some time acquainting you with the different elements of voice, and the muscles involved in controlling them.
You’ll get a better understanding of pitch, resonance, intonation, and more.
You’ll also learn what muscles are involved in manipulating each of the above factors, how to control them, and how to avoid hurting yourself in the process.
Phase 2: Sculpting Your Femme Voice
Now you have a stronger understanding of the fundamentals of your voice. That means you’ll also have stronger ability to control your voice.
Using that greater sense of control, we’ll begin shaping a new voice for you.
That voice will coalesce over time, but the goal is to create a functional femme voice we can shift to.
Phase 3: Normalizing Your Femme Voice
Finding a functional femme voice is one thing. But you’ve got years of muscle memory built up making your old voice the default one. It takes time to break free of that.
This is where we begin to normalize your new voice, and create strategies for you to be able to access it more easily.
The goal is for you to walk away with a feminine voice that you’ll know how to use.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have questions about how transgender voice feminization coaching works, you’re not alone.
I get a lot of questions about this sort of work.
Here, you’ll find some of the most common questions I hear.
If you don’t see yours, feel free to reach out. I’m happy to help.
How Long Does Transgender Voice Feminization Coaching Take?
It’s hard to say. There are so many different factors that can influence this. These include:
- Your age
- Your vocal history
- Whether you smoke tobacco
- Whether you have a speech disorder
- Your level of commitment
However, the average is between 12 and 18 sessions. Some girls need more, some girls need fewer. I can’t be any more specific than that!
I’m Pretty Anxious About Voice Training. Can You Still Help Me?
Absolutely. Feeling anxious and nervous about trying something new is very common, and totally normal.
That’s even truer when you remember we’re digging directly into something you don’t like about yourself.
During session, I work hard to create a space where you can feel safe to express any feelings that come up. It’s okay to feel anxious, or nervous, or frustrated, or even defeated.
I’m here to help you push through it.
Are You A Transgender Speech Therapist?
No, I’m not. However, I’ve received some of the same training speech therapists do when it comes to voice feminization (along with other training). I found it to be inadequate, and that’s why I developed my own protocol.
I’ve actually been asked to train speech therapists in that protocol as well!
Can You Work With Autistic Trans Girls?
A 2020 meta-analysis by Warrier Et Al. found reviewed five different datasets. From that, they estimated people who identify as something other than the gender they were assigned at birth are up to six times more likely to be diagnosed autistic than cisgender people.
In fact, this study estimated that about 1 in 4 transgender people is autistic.
The reason I’m telling you this is to reassure you that you won’t be the first autistic girl I’ve worked with!
It is good for me to know if you’re autistic before we start working together, so I can pivot my approach accordingly.
But rest assured, I can still help.
Do You Make Any Guarantees?
No. I wish I could guarantee you’ll end up with the voice of your dreams, but I can’t. In fact, I think you should be suspicious of any coach who does.
Everyone comes to me with different goals, expectations, and a ability to control their voice.
My goal with my practice is to help you gain full control over what your< voice can do. From there, we’ll work together to find a voice that feels more like you.
But your results will vary.
However, if you’re committed to working through the process, you’ll almost certainly see some pretty profound changes in your voice.