Trans voice exercises and resources to help you reach your goals!
Let’s Talk Gender Affirming Voice Care: A Conversation with Renée Yoxon & Singing Straw
Jun 24, 2025
When Whitney Nichole, creator of the Singing Straw, invited me to chat about gender affirming voice care, I was thrilled to share my journey and expertise with her community. As a transgender voice coach who's been teaching voice for nearly two decades, I've seen firsthand how transformative voice training can be for trans, nonbinary, and gender-expansive people.
This conversation covered everything from what gender-affirming voice work actually means to practical tools like straw phonation that make trans voice training more accessible and effective.
If you're exploring voice feminization training, masculine voice training, or simply want to understand how voice shapes our gender expression, this post breaks down our full conversation with key takeaways and resources.
Prefer to read? Keep scrolling for a complete breakdown of our conversation about transgender voice training and practical voice feminization techniques.
My Journey into Gender Affirming Voice Work
I've been teaching singing for almost two decades, but my path to specialising in gender affirming voice care was deeply personal.
As someone who identifies as both trans and disabled, I initially decided to focus on teaching voice to trans and disabled people because I wanted to create a better teaching experience for myself and my students.
I wouldn't have to explain these aspects of my identity, and my students wouldn't have to wonder whether I truly understood their experiences.
The Right to Sing Award
To make my services accessible to communities that often lack disposable income, I created a scholarship program called the Right to Sing Award. I raised funds and opened applications, expecting maybe four students.
That's when Project 10, a queer and trans organisation in Montreal, found me.
They asked if I could teach a gender-affirming voice workshop. I'd never even heard of that specific field before, but it combined all my favourite things: voice work, trans advocacy, and education.
I taught myself the fundamentals rather quickly, and what we discovered was a huge gap in service provision, especially services created by and for trans people.
Filling the Gap
While there was some access through speech language pathology programs, there wasn't a voice teacher-level option that felt less medical and more exploratory.
Project 10 kept sending me students. Before I knew it, I had completely pivoted to trans voice training and gender affirming voice care.
Today, it's the heart of everything I do, and I couldn't be more grateful for how this work has shaped my life and career.
What Is Gender Affirming Voice Care?
Gender affirming voice care—also called voice feminization, voice masculinization, or "l'harmonisation vocale" (what we call it here in Montreal)—is the process of creating a speaking voice that aligns with your gender presentation.
Two Key Goals
This work can serve different purposes for different people:
Creating gender euphoria – Developing a voice that brings you joy and feels authentically you, regardless of how others perceive it.
Eliciting your desired social response – Shaping a voice that helps you be recognized as your gender by strangers on the phone, in person, or in any social situation.
Highly Individualized Process
What makes this work so beautiful is that it looks totally different for everyone.
You might modify:
All vocal characteristics or just a few
A lot or a little
Different aspects depending on context (work voice vs. home voice vs. social voice)
There's no single "correct" way to do transgender voice training. The goal is always what feels right and authentic for you.
As Whitney said in our conversation, our voice is how we show up in the world. Sometimes it's the very first thing people experience about us, especially on phone calls.
When your voice doesn't align with your gender, it can feel incredibly vulnerable and painful. That's why this work matters so deeply.
Challenges Trans Singers and Speakers Face
During our conversation, Whitney asked about the unique and overlapping challenges that trans singers and speakers face with their voices.
It's a fascinating question because there are absolutely overlapping experiences between cisgender and transgender voice journeys.
The Universal Search for Authentic Expression
Whether you're a cis singer or doing trans voice lessons, we're all looking to find a voice that reflects who we are.
That might mean:
The kind of music you want to make
The kind of person you want to be
How you want to present yourself in the world
This process of discovery is huge, and it's often not linear.
The Exploratory Nature of Voice Work
In gender affirming voice care, practitioners often aren't always sure of their goal at the start.
You try something. You live with it for a while. You see if it feels right.
It's like trying on different clothes, hairstyles, or makeup. You might practice a certain voice quality for a month and realise it's not quite feeling like you, so you try something different.
Gender Affirming Singing vs. Speaking
One interesting distinction I mentioned in our conversation is that gender affirming singing is a little different from gender affirming speech.
In speech, we have certain codes and norms that strongly signal gender. But in singing, there's so much more colour, range, and artistic expression.
Singers of all genders are exploring:
Vocal range
Tone quality
Expression
Style
Even if you end up right back where you started after months of exploration, the process is worthwhile. You've learned about your voice, tried new things, and gained clarity about what feels authentic.
How Straw Phonation Supports Trans Voice Training
One of the reasons Whitney and I connected was our shared appreciation for straw phonation, a vocal technique that uses a small straw to create back pressure and optimise vocal fold function.
I made an entire video about straw phonation because it's genuinely one of my favourite tools for transgender vocal training.
Why Straw Phonation Is Perfect for Trans Voice Work
There are several reasons this technique is so valuable:
It's incredibly discreet
Many of my students aren't out yet, or they don't feel comfortable practicing voice exercises at full volume at home.
Straw phonation is so quiet you can do it anywhere. I used to take my little straw to the park and warm up, and nobody even noticed.
It's more effective than full-volume practice
This might sound counterintuitive, but for speakers especially, straw phonation is actually more effective than practicing at full volume.
The back pressure created by the straw optimises how your vocal folds come together, laying a healthy foundation for voice function.
It helps establish healthy vocal habits
Whether you're working on voice feminization training or masculine voice training, you need a solid foundation.
Straw phonation helps you:
Reduce tension
Improve vocal fold closure
Increase efficiency
Explore different voice qualities safely
As Whitney noted, it's all about laying that healthy foundation first. Then you can explore all the different ways to express your voice while understanding what costs more or less from a tissue and fatigue perspective.
Where to Learn More
If you're interested in trying straw phonation, I have several resources on my YouTube channel:
Both videos demonstrate how versatile and effective this tool is for transgender vocal training.
The #1 Exercise for a Lighter, Feminine Voice (Backed by Science!)
Voice Feminization Warm-Up with the Singing Straw Creator
Want to try the Singing Straw yourself? You can purchase the Singing Straw here. It's an excellent investment for your voice feminization journey and overall vocal health.
Whether you're exploring fem voice training, ftm voice therapy, or nonbinary voice confidence, this work is about finding your authentic voice, not matching someone else's idea of what you "should" sound like.
Voice Work Is a Journey of Discovery
You don't need to know your exact goal before you start. The process itself—trying different qualities, living with them, adjusting—is valuable and worthwhile.
Tools Like Straw Phonation Make Training More Accessible
Discreet, effective techniques mean you can practice anywhere, even if you're not out or don't have a private space for loud vocal exercises.
Overlapping Experiences Connect All Voice Seekers
Trans and cis singers and speakers share the same fundamental desire: to express themselves authentically through their voice.
Community and Support Matter
Working with a transgender voice coach who understands your journey makes an enormous difference. Finding affirming, knowledgeable support helps you feel seen and empowered throughout the process.
Our conversation covered so much ground, but if there's one thing I hope you take away, it's this:
Your voice is yours to shape, explore, and celebrate.
Whether you're just beginning to explore transgender female voice training, you're deep into vocal feminization training, or you're a singer looking to expand your range and expression, there's room for you in this work.
Gender affirming voice care isn't about conforming to rigid standards. It's about discovering what feels authentic, joyful, and right for you.
And with tools like straw phonation, supportive communities, and knowledgeable teachers, that journey can be both effective and accessible.
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Want weekly tips, resources, and insights on trans voice training? Sign up for my newsletter and get the latest content delivered straight to your inbox. It's free!
I know you're here because you're striving to live your most authentic life, yet one major hurdle remains: your voice. Instead of empowering you, it brings dysphoria, misgendering, and discomfort.
So, are you ready to create a voice that resonates deeply and authentically with who you are? Join me for an empowering FREE webinar where you'll learn practical and easy skills that will show you how to create a voice that fills you with confidence and joy—without relying on medical interventions!
