A little while ago, I made a video called How to Shout, Cough, and Laugh like a Dude. The comments were immediate: “Okay, but where’s the girl version?”

Fair point. Because if you’ve been working hard to feminize your voice and then suddenly let out a rough, throaty cough, it can feel completely out of sync. The way we shout, cough, and laugh are all part of how people read our voice, even though we often think of them as automatic or reflexive.

That’s why in this post (and the video below), I’m showing you how to bring these reflexive moments into alignment with the feminine voice you’ve been building.

Prefer to watch instead? Here’s the full video:

Why Work on Shouting, Laughing, and Coughing?

Most people assume things like laughing or coughing are reflexes we can’t touch. But the truth is, they’re habits, just like our speech habits. And habits can be reshaped.

Shifting these reflexive sounds can:

• Make your voice feel more congruent with your gender presentation

• Help you feel more at ease in everyday interactions

• Reduce the stress of being “outed” by an unaligned laugh or cough

Yes, it might feel weird or even silly at first (think of breaking in new shoes), but with a little patience, it starts to feel natural.

The Twangy Shout

If you’ve been focusing on raising pitch, brightening resonance, and lightening vocal weight in your speaking voice, you’ll notice something: lightness doesn’t work at higher volumes. Shouting requires a different approach.

Here’s a simplified path to a brighter, twangier shout:

1. Prepare to cough. Notice the squeeze in your throat when you do.

2. Add a tiny sound. It will sound ridiculous, like a strangled cat. That’s okay.

3. Release some of the squeeze. You want enough resistance to keep the sound twangy and loud without losing volume.

4. Practice with short words or phrases.

This type of shout is distinct from a boomier, masculine shout. It’s sharp, bright, and forward.

Choosing Your Laugh

People often say, “My laugh is just my laugh.” But most laughs are learned from family, friends, or even your favourite romcoms. Which means you can shape yours, too.

I like to use what I call the Laughter Tapas method:

1. Collect 10 laughs. From movies, streamers, friends, anywhere.

2. Imitate each one. Play with pitch, rhythm, airflow, and posture.

3. Pick one. Choose a starter laugh that feels close.

4. Practice in real life. Use it intentionally when you actually laugh.

The goal isn’t to stifle your joy but to expand your range and build a laugh that feels aligned. And yes, little details like breathiness, a head tilt, or a hand-to-mouth gesture all shape perception.

The Cute Cough

Finally, the cough. To keep your cough aligned with a feminine voice, follow these steps:

1. Lock into your target pitch and resonance on an “ah” vowel.

2. Add the cough while maintaining that shape.

Common pitfall: dropping your resonance or pitch the moment you cough. To avoid this, try practicing with a simple phrase you already know in your target voice, then add a cough immediately afterwards.

⚠️ Safety note: don’t overdo it. Too much coughing or throat clearing can irritate your vocal folds. Practice in short bursts only.

Bringing It All Together

Shouts, laughs, and coughs may seem small, but they carry weight. When they feel aligned with your voice, they free you up to relax and express yourself without hesitation.

If you’d like to go deeper, I cover these ideas in detail in my course Mindful Voice Feminization. Or, if you want a free way to start, check out my intro masterclass: Change the Gender of Your Voice (No Hormones or Surgeries Required). 

And if you try any of these exercises, let me know in the video comments! I’d love to hear what worked for you.