Transgender Voice Therapy Flashcards
What is the goal for VT when it comes to gender presentation for transgender individuals?
The goal is to close the gap between the current gender presentation and the desired gender presentation.
What is the goal of VT when it comes to activities for transgender individuals?
To remove those barriers that prevent them from engaging in activities.
What are two good VT treatments discussed in class?
Lessac-Madsen Resonant Voice Therapy
Approaches conducted by Gelfer (She is THE Specialist in this field.)
What surgical options are available?
Chondrolaryngoplasty reduction - reduces thyroid prominence
Cricothyroidopexy - increases vocal fold tension by closing the space between thyroid and cricoid cartilages, causing an increase in pitch.
What is the goal of Speech therapy?
Selecting a target pitch by either raising or lowering speaking fundamental frequency to extreme degrees
How can modification or oral resonance be addressed?
Modification of oral resonance in transgender patients can be addressed via increasing lip spreading, as opposed to lip rounding while speaking.
Increasing forward carriage of the tongue while speaking. (Females tend to speak more forward in the mouth.)
What is the first step of Speech Therapy according to Gelfer?
To establish a target pitch that the client would like to achieve.
After the desired pitch is established, what is the second step of Speech Therapy according to Gelfer?
After establishing a target pitch, client uses a clear voice while practicing its production in multiple /m/-initiated CV syllables. Vocal flexibility exercises are implemented by producing five ascending notes, starting at the target pitch when using the syllable /ma/.
After syllables, what is the next progression of speech therapy according to Gelfer?
Clinician initially introduces “chant” words (e.g. “mine”) and provides a flat model at pt.’s target pitch. The client enacts the flat productions and later produces same list of words with rising-falling intonation. Use Visi-Pitch to gain visual feedback.
According to Gelfer, what step comes after words?
Phrases.
Intonation of speech is constantly used. Start with using /m/-initiated words at the beginning of each phrase. Later, voiced phonemes /n, w, j, l, r/ are used to initiate phrases until pt. can achieve unrestricted initial phoneme use. Prosody is increased in activities, such as reading, when pt. can maintain the target pitch with proper quality of voice. Finally, move to functional communication use.
What is considered to be the boderline note where a voice begins to sound feminine?
The A below middle C
