A new study is the first to delve into the subtle effects beyond vocal pitch that testosterone therapy has on voices of transgender men.
Interviews with trans men undergoing testosterone (T) therapy reveal that the voice is one of the most profound and important physical changes they experience, say the researchers.
In spring 2015, Graham Grail, then a sophomore at Boston University, approached one of his professors with an idea. One day after class, he walked up to Carolyn Hodges-Simeon’s podium and explained that he wanted to research voice, specifically how it changes in transgender men who take testosterone. Hodges-Simeon, a biological anthropologist who researches sex differences in speech and the voice, was immediately on board.
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In spring 2015, Graham Grail, then a sophomore at Boston University, approached one of his professors with an idea. One day after class, he walked up to Carolyn Hodges-Simeon’s podium and explained that he wanted to research voice, specifically how it changes in transgender men who take testosterone. Hodges-Simeon, a biological anthropologist who researches sex differences in speech and the voice, was immediately on board.
“I was very surprised to see that at the time there was so little research in this area, and it got me thinking, how do physicians know the proper dosage? How do people starting testosterone therapy know what to expect?” says Hodges-Simeon, a BU College of Arts & Sciences assistant professor of anthropology.