Workshops/Presentations

Changing Keys: Speech and Voice Feminization for Transsexual Women

One of the greatest challenges for people undergoing male to female gender reassignment is developing a feminine voice. The Changing Keys program is generously sponsored by the Transgender Health Program of BC. It provides information and professional speech and voice training for transsexual women, in a group setting. The program is limited to 6 participants.

The program has 4 components:

  1. An individual speech and voice evaluation.
  2. A 7 week course of speech and voice therapy
  3. A home program of speech/voice therapy exercises
  4. A post-therapy re-evaluation of each participant’s speech and voice.

1. Initial Speech and Voice Evaluation

This is a complete evaluation of each participant’s speech and voice production habits. It includes an assessment of:

  • average speaking pitch
  • speaking pitch range and inflectional contours
  • voice quality
  • gender-related communication characteristics

By using diagnostic therapy techniques we also assess the person’s ability to make changes in habitual speech and voice production.

2. Speech, Voice and Communication Therapy

Therapy sessions are held once weekly for 2 hours, over a 7-week period. The program includes information, specific speech and voice training and discussion about gender differences in speech, voice and communication as a whole.

Information topics include:

  • how speech and voice are produced
  • differences between men’s and women’s voice production systems
  • masculine/feminine characteristics of speech, voice and communication
  • surgical options for elevating vocal pitch

Voice therapy includes:

  • vocal “stretching exercises” to gain access the higher pitches of the voice
  • finding a more feminine pitch range and becoming accustomed to the feel and sound of this voice
  • using voice therapy techniques that make the higher voice easier to produce
  • increasing/modifying vocal inflections in speech
  • achieving a more feminine vocal quality, e.g., working with breathiness (desirable) and roughness (undesirable)

Discussion of gender issues in communication includes:

  • speech style: directness, emotional content, etc.
  • communication intent: exchanging information, establishing emotional connections, etc.
  • non-speech vocalizations: laughing, listening noises
  • body language during speaking and listening
  • word choice: direct vs. indirect, etc.
  • role playing and conversational practice will be used extensively to explore these issues

3. Changing Keys for Good: Carrying Changes into Everyday Life

The Changing Keys program is designed to support participants in transferring the new habits into the real world. We do this in a number of ways:

Daily warm-ups
There is a home program of speech and voice warm-ups to be done daily

Homework
Using the new voice outside the classroom in real-life situations gives the opportunity to try things out, while still enjoying the support of the program

Self-directed exercise
Ongoing input from a daily self-directed exercise program is very valuable in maintaining improvements once the course is completed

4. Individual Reassessments

At the end of the program, reassessments will be done to compare before and after recordings, measurements and subjective evaluations.

Registration information

Where

All sessions are held at:
Three Bridges Health Unit
1290 Hornby Street
Vancouver, BC

When

Private Assessments:
Thursday, April 10, 1 hour appointments @ 2PM and 3PM, (Room 150)
Friday, April 11, 1 hour appointments @ 1PM, 2PM & 3PM, (Room 312)

Classes:
All classes run from 5PM to 7PM with a short break half way through. Please note changes of room and time:

  • Wednesday, April 16 (Room 312)
  • Wednesday, April 23 (Room 312)
  • Wednesday, April 30 (Room 312)
  • Monday, May 5 (Room 150) Half hr private sessions, 4PM - 7PM
  • Wednesday, May 14 (Room 312)
  • Monday, June 9 (Room 150)
  • Monday, June 16 (Room 150)

Re-assessments:
June 27, 1 hr appointments between 10:00AM and 5:00PM (Room 312)

Refresher session:
TBA, 3 or 4 months after the end of the program

Cost

There is a sliding scale from $0 to $100.00, dependant upon ability to pay.

To apply:

Application is open to transsexual women who can commit to coming to all sessions and to both the pre- and post- assessments. Daily practice between sessions is also required.

Applications are being accepted immediately. To get an application form, please contact:

Lukas Walther
Transgender Health Program Coordinator
Vancouver Coastal Health
Three Bridges Community Health Centre
#301 - 1290 Hornby Street
Vancouver, BC V6Z 1W2
604-734-1514 ext. 3
BC Toll Free: 1-866-999-1514 / Fax: 604-633-4241
Email: Lukas.Walther@vch.ca
www.vch.ca/transhealth