Larsen is far from alone when it comes to adapting to a new voice following a gender transition. Experts say that of the over 1 million Americans who identify as transgender, an increasing number are turning to gender-affirming vocal care, including hiring voice coaches and even undergoing surgeries.

And a 2018 study in the Language and Linguistics Compass found that vocal cues are an important factor in categorising someone’s gender, “making the voice an enormously important aspect of gender presentation, particularly for those who are transitioning.”

“It was always something that was very important to me – having a voice that matches my body,” says Alaina Kupec, founder and President of GRACE, a trans-focused nonprofit. “As soon as I spoke, if the sound didn’t match the appearance, then the incongruence was very challenging,” she told Uncloseted Media.

Like Larsen, many trans men change their voice by taking testosterone, which causes a thickening of the vocal cords and creates a deeper-sounding voice.

But for transgender women, estrogen does not change their voice. That’s why there’s a growing industry of coaches who help people with this aspect of the transition.

Voice teacher Brittani Farrell compares relearning how to use your voice after a gender transition to “relearning how to walk with a prosthesis after having your leg amputated.”

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[–] Hexarei@beehaw.org 1 points 2 weeks ago

Voice training is so hard to keep up with sometimes too. So far I've only managed to really nail resonance down, but it makes such a huge difference already.

Also, transmasc individuals can also benefit from voice training, with techniques to make their new vocal cords more comfortable to use.