Quote from: Natallie553 on March 05, 2014, 10:46:24 PM
My voice is fairly deep as well. I'm hoping to achieve the sexy deep voice from UK girls and I'm from kansas. lol

Cant wait for you to post some pics of yourself! Welcome to the forums!

I can't tell you the number of times I got told how much they loved my accent (even sexy!) when I was in Montreal last year. But I don't think it was because it's deep, which it isn't much, lol.

OP, if all you've got to worry about is voice, what are you waiting for?! Voice is something that can be modified. A masculine frame is difficult or impossible to modify, but as you say, you're already feminine.

Quote from: Jessica Merriman on March 06, 2014, 02:51:38 PM
I think what Stephanie means is, so what if they know you are trans. Is that where you were going Stephanie? All that matters in this world is how YOU feel not others whose opinions are worthless.

yes

Quote from: stephaniec on March 06, 2014, 03:49:24 PM
yes

For me personally it's not only about what others think but it's also for myself. I want to hear a female voice speaking when I open my mouth.

Quote from: anais on March 06, 2014, 03:58:46 PM
For me personally it's not only about what others think but it's also for myself. I want to hear a female voice speaking when I open my mouth.

Very understandable, but not something one should abandon hope in transition for, that's all.

For those that don't mind the blending aspect, that is very admirable and I'm glad you have the amount of inner strength to disregard those concerns; however, the voice aspect does tend to be a sensitive spot for many transitioners.  Not only because it can lead to someone feeling outed but because a deeper or masculine voice can be dysphoria inducing.  Just like many women want to have a feminine appearance for themselves, they want a feminine overall presentation.   It's about finding what works for each person and what their own individual comfort levels and needs are.  And for better or worse, voice is one of those critical clues that can prevent passing if not fine tuned.  Of course, passing isn't the be all and end all, and honestly I wish I could get over my crutch on this issue and am working on it, but it is important to many people.  I know I definitely want to have a "female" sounding voice in the end as it is part of my dysphoria.   

In any case, I just hope voice isn't the only concern here because with hard work it can be dealt with.  It just takes time and can be very frustrating, at least that's been the case with me.  If that doesn't work, there are surgical procedures, though I would always suggest seeing if you can get away with it naturally.  I've seen plenty of people do just that with great results. 

Have you ever heard of a countertenor.  These are biological men who have trained their voices to sing in the alto or soprano range.   No physical alteration is involved, just training and practice.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/deceptivecadence/2010/11/30/131701596/when-a-man-sings-like-a-woman-a-countertenor-convergence

Sing, practice, extend your range.  It CAN be done.

Randi

Quote from: Jessica Merriman on March 06, 2014, 04:00:51 PM
Very understandable, but not something one should abandon hope in transition for, that's all.

I never said that and the voice is something you can work on.

I know this is going to sound snarky but it really isn't meant to be. If some one is that disabled by their voice you can always learn sign language  and note writing and no one will be the wiser. Just another option.

I never had a very deep voice to begin with but it still was one that sounded manly. My voice was one aspect I dreaded about my transition...I first felt very weirded out wanting or needing too do this, I knew this transition was for real when I started to work on it.  I then had the thoughts of having to fake my voice for the rest of my life, and not wanting to do that!

I worked on it gradually and very little, I thought I didn't change it much, until I was getting mam'ed on the phone almost always. Even if I didn't get mam'ed, people calling me would ask if "he" was available. I still thought my voice sucked even though I was passing with it. I realized it was quite different when my son told me a couple of days after coming out to him that he thought my voice didn't sound like a women's....I agreed but told him it had changed just over a longer time so he wasn't as aware. I then proceeded to talk in my former voice...I coughed a little and took a big gulp....what happened next shocked the hell out of him and I...it had changed dramatically!!

Today I still don't think my voice is great but it does sound like most other females....but mostly what has changed is how I talk...much more girly but not in a way that I am trying...

I do notice that when I hear myself on a video I sound exactly like my mother!! Its eerie how similar I sound to her! 

Quote from: Rena on March 05, 2014, 09:37:16 PM
I was really excited about transitioning and I thought I could pass as a femjale 100% but there's only one thing holding me back. It's my voice. I have an extremely deep voice in the bass range.

My face is perfectly feminine, my body is feminine and I could make them both 100% feminine and sexy with hrt + some conservative surgery. It's just that's there's nothing that can be done to make my voice in a female range. The best I could probably achieve is sounding like a gay guy.

I knew a MtF who worked in Cambridge, MA.  Granted she had maybe TOO much work done on her face (cheeks and lips too big), and her voice sounded like a gay guy's, but.....wow, she was a head-turner for sure.  It was obvious she was MtF just by listening to her, but nobody cared. 

Voice training may be difficult but if you check youtube and have a look at the other mtf girls, it really does give you a confidence boost.
Have a look at Isley Definitely gives you a boost in confidence

Quote from: Natallie553 on March 05, 2014, 10:46:24 PM
My voice is fairly deep as well. I'm hoping to achieve the sexy deep voice from UK girls and I'm from kansas. lol

Cant wait for you to post some pics of yourself! Welcome to the forums!

Any examples of the sexy deep voices of UK women?

Quote from: castle of glass on March 07, 2014, 10:56:05 AM
Any examples of the sexy deep voices of UK women?

I cant remember her name right now, but the British woman on "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" fits the bill.

I have a deep voice with a strong Lancashire accent.Very rarely has anyone said I have a sexy voice!

Quote from: Jamie D on March 06, 2014, 12:43:41 AM
Rena, take a look at the numerous topics concerning Yeson voice surgery in South Korea.  On the voice therapy board.

I have but the before and after videos I've watched the girls voices were a somewhat high tenor before the surgery. It actually strains and I dare say almost hurts my voice to do a medium tenor right now.

Quote from: Nicolette on March 06, 2014, 03:47:47 PM
I can't tell you the number of times I got told how much they loved my accent (even sexy!) when I was in Montreal last year. But I don't think it was because it's deep, which it isn't much, lol.

OP, if all you've got to worry about is voice, what are you waiting for?! Voice is something that can be modified. A masculine frame is difficult or impossible to modify, but as you say, you're already feminine.

I'm waiting to lose all the bulky muscle on my feminine frame

Quote from: Just Shelly on March 06, 2014, 05:35:57 PM
I never had a very deep voice to begin with but it still was one that sounded manly. My voice was one aspect I dreaded about my transition...I first felt very weirded out wanting or needing too do this, I knew this transition was for real when I started to work on it.  I then had the thoughts of having to fake my voice for the rest of my life, and not wanting to do that!

I worked on it gradually and very little, I thought I didn't change it much, until I was getting mam'ed on the phone almost always. Even if I didn't get mam'ed, people calling me would ask if "he" was available. I still thought my voice sucked even though I was passing with it. I realized it was quite different when my son told me a couple of days after coming out to him that he thought my voice didn't sound like a women's....I agreed but told him it had changed just over a longer time so he wasn't as aware. I then proceeded to talk in my former voice...I coughed a little and took a big gulp....what happened next shocked the hell out of him and I...it had changed dramatically!!

Today I still don't think my voice is great but it does sound like most other females....but mostly what has changed is how I talk...much more girly but not in a way that I am trying...

I do notice that when I hear myself on a video I sound exactly like my mother!! Its eerie how similar I sound to her!

So does purposely not using a lower range weaken the vocal cords so that your new normal is higher?

Quote from: ♡ Emily ♡ on March 11, 2014, 08:14:38 AM
Estrogen itself softens Your voice a bit - I certainly do not sound the way I used to - unless I make specific effort and go into deep assertive chest-voice mode. If I pay specific attention then my voice becomes somewhat neutral/andro and I have done very little in terms of training (mostly singing scales, songs and intentionally isolating the lower part of my voice box).

this is how it seems is happening to me. it's like my voice is more flexible , but a lot of posters say HRT does absolutely nothing so I don't know. To me it does help even though there's places on line that says it doesn't.

WPATH talks about things that HRT will do for almost all women versus things you should not count on. Change in voice is one that the WPATCH SOC doesn't support because most trans women don't see that.

However, having said that and my therapist dealing with lots of trans clients, she has stated that she's seen lots of her clients (not a majority but "lots" meaning more than a few) have changes in voice from HRT before they began practicing voice.

My own case appears to be getting more complicated as time passes. I have one vocal cord fully paralyzed that only functions because of complete vocal cord medialization of that cord via an implant (back in 1996). The goal at that time was to match my normal male voice, which was in the upper end of the male range (130-150 Hz).

HRT has been altering my voice with some odd results. Some days it's easier to speak in a more falsetto voice than anything else and that's without trying. I can get a more normal female voice, not so falsetto but still male resonance suppressed if I try, but how hard I have to try varies. My voice currently surprises me almost every day. On days that I have to go into the office, I actually work on my voice in the car to sound at least somewhat male.

Everyone's struggle with voice is unique. My medical issues are one reason I am considering Yeson. I've already been informed by Yeson that they can deal with a patient who has undergone full vocal cord medialization of one cord. I just have other issues to address before I get to that point. And in the meanwhile, my female friends assure me my voice is "good enough", especially for an older woman.

Quote from: FilaFord on March 06, 2014, 12:08:18 AM
Tori, I love reading your posts.  You inspire me, although right now I fear it is not enough.  I'm so depressed lately because I think I am making a mistake.  When I think about the future all I can see is me being miserable and my son being ashamed of me.  My therapist tried to comfort me and tell me that he is so young (4 next month) that he will be the most understanding person that I know, but I just can't make myself see it.  I think I am ashamed of myself and I KNOW I shouldn't be...

I thought the hormones were supposed to make me feel more at peace with this but it seems they are making me stress out more than before.

Your son will actually be the most understanding especially when you tell him at a young age where he will understand. My gf has three kids, ages 9 and 11, when they met me they thought I was a guy with a penis, but we decided to tell them the truth, that Ryan was born with a certain part, but hes a guy, they were just like ok, so your a dude in a girls body, can you have plastic surgery to fix that? lol I just tried to be as honest as I could with them, I think the older the harder it is, but your son will actually get it, better than adults lol