My cell phone is still in the old name. (Yes, I am a procrastinator and as soon as we get around to having an election I plan to run for president of the club.) So when I went to add a couple of lines I had to give my old name so they would allow the changes.
At first the guy called me "sir" as I expected. While I didn't revert back to the old voice, I also didn't use the 'Julie' voice. I tried to sound as much like a man as my brain would allow. So when he first called me "sir" I figured I passed.
Then he calls me ma'am and immediately apologizes, saying he talks to a lot of people and blah, blah, blah. I thought it was funny. Then he does it again. Now I'm really getting a kick out of it. And, before we go he does it one more time. ;D
I guess I can't pass as a guy over the phone anymore! :D
Julie
Aw, bless his cotton socks. :D
And good on you! :)
LOL that's so great :) Had to feel good
Quote from: Julie Marie on September 16, 2009, 03:11:01 PM
I guess I can't pass as a guy over the phone anymore! :D
Julie
Maybe I should take my voice lessons from you!
-Sandy
Ha!
And why are you surprised at this?
I love testing things with strangers on the phone. If they are going to call me unsolicited, why not get some benefit? Except last week I did not recognize a number and answered as me. Turns out it was a co-worker. Oops! I said just a minute, set down the phone, clomped aroud a minute and then shifted gears and answered.
You could've done it online and not dealt with the BS.
Reminds me of something that happened this afternoon...
so I stop at a full service gas station and the guy appears at the window and says "What can I get you ma'am?" and then visible realizes he is talking to a male. I smile and try to demonstrate he's fine (after all, I'm wearing pink nail polish for a reason) and he recovers and goes to pump the gas and then comes back and gets paid and says "have a nice day sir" with the "sir" sounding kind of strained.
I wish I could have told him that "ma'am" was just fine and a compliment but I didn't want to make him even more uncomfortable.
The voice can be the hardest behavioral change we need to make during transition. Many of us did our part to hold up gender stereotypes and survive in the birth gender world, thus we trained our voices wrong. It takes awhile to "find" your female voice.
You know you're doing well when that's the voice that comes out when you're startled or waking from a sleep. That said, I for one always try harder when out in public or on the phone. I can get a little lazy at home.
Julie's done a remarkable job on her voice, based on where she started. I'm surprised that she thinks people on the phone would take her as anything but female. Congrats, dear!
Quote from: juliekins on September 19, 2009, 01:01:41 AM
Julie's done a remarkable job on her voice, based on where she started. I'm surprised that she thinks people on the phone would take her as anything but female. Congrats, dear!
I totally agree! Great job, honey!
Kristi
Quote from: Julie Marie on September 16, 2009, 03:11:01 PMI guess I can't pass as a guy over the phone anymore! :D
Feels great, doesn't it? :)