The voice is considered one of the most peculiar characteristics of each individual.
Is for trans people who identify with the opposite gender to the one they were born, the change in vocal tonality can be essential as part of the sex reassignment process.
As well as facial alignment procedures, which seek to make the face shape more feminine or masculine, there are also treatments for voice adjustment.
The otolaryngologist doctor Guilherme Catani explains that this type of adequacy is among the factors that influence the quality of life of trans people. As it is a striking factor, vocal non-conformity with gender can generate feelings of inadequacy.
“What I see the most difference in their lives after the procedure is how authentic they become, after all, the voice fits with the person’s personality and forms a unique identity”, says the doctor.
“In addition to authenticity, I also see how having a harmonious voice with who you are gives you more self-confidence for the most diverse situations. It takes away all the shame, insecurity and even fear of simple things, like talking on the phone.” says Catani, author of the book “Vocal Readjustment Guide for Trans People” from Appris Publishing.
The specialist, who works in the Transgender Center Brazil a clinic specializing in the care of trans patients, in Blumenau (SC), explains that the treatments include surgeries on the laryngeal skeleton, known as the “voice box”, and on the vocal cords.
Aligned with hormonal and speech therapy, the techniques help patients identify with their own voice.
“The procedure takes a maximum of two hours and after that, a vocal rest is necessary for two weeks. The patient will still need therapy with a speech therapist after the surgery and the final recovery takes about three months”, he details.
Quality of life
Law student at the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR) Laura Madel da Silva, 23, began the gender transition between the end of 2021 and the beginning of this year.
she tells the CNN that the male voice was one of the main causes of gender dysphoria a condition that involves an intense and persistent feeling of nonconformity with the sexual characteristics of the birth gender.
“One of my first steps was taking hormones, doing hormone therapy. From there, seeing how I felt, I decided to have vocal surgery. It was something very early on account of the dysphorias I had. The biggest one was my voice, ever since.”
Laura states that understanding about the impacts that gender dysphoria had on your emotional state been built over time.
“I understood that it was something that bothered me, that I could not pinpoint where it came from, but it was like dust under the rug, which made me talk less, quieter or even faster . It was something that repressed me in a general way,” she explains.
In an attempt to correct the problem, she sought assistance from speech therapists and discovered the possibility of surgical intervention. The procedure was performed in March and according to her, “there was no pain”. “It was a relief for me,” she says.
This change in voice made me more comfortable speaking at ease. Starting from a context where I was running away from any situation I needed to talk about, like a phone call or a seminar, being able to speak again was a liberating act for me.
Laura Madel, student
How does thyroplasty work?
Thyroplasty is a surgical procedure in the structures of the laryngeal cartilages, which allows modulating the voice of patients with different types of voice disorders.
Doctor Gustavo Philippi from Los Santos, a head and neck surgeon, explains that thyroplasties are divided into four types, according to the indication and problem of each patient.
The type 1 procedure is intended to medialize the vocal fold, being indicated for patients with paralysis in this region or with absence of the vocal fold due to previous surgical treatment. Type 2, on the other hand, seeks to lateralize the vocal fold in patients with spasmodic dysphonia, a disorder associated with spasms that hinder voice production.
Type 3 thyroplasty induces relaxation in the voice frequency to make it more bass, from the removal of a segment of the laryngeal cartilage, leaving the vocal folds less tense. In the opposite way, type 4 stretches the vocal folds and makes the voice higher through stitches.
The doctor explains that the procedures are performed through a small incision in the neck. Types 3 and 4 surgeries are performed with local anesthesia, with light sedation, but with the patient awake.
“In surgery, we increase the tension of the vocal folds by changing the pitch of the voice to a higher pitch. The procedure is unique and the patient is discharged from the hospital on the same day”, says Santos.
The procedure takes around an hour. During surgery, changes are made gradually, allowing the patient to hear and understand what the result will be.
The cost of the surgery varies according to each type and difficulty of the case, around R$ 10 to 15 thousand.
Source: CNN Brasil
