Voice, Voice FeminizationLeave a comment

Voice Feminization

Ariel Jean

Introduction I’m going to preface this with: All voices are beautiful. All voices are valid. There are women with deeper, warmer voices and men with higher, brighter voices. And that’s okay. To complicate things more, every culture experiences gendered voices in their own ways, so what may come across as “masculine” in one culture may be perfectly “feminine” in another. Why? Because these are artificial terms that are constantly changing. A 1998 study by the University of South Australia compared recordings of Australian women ages 18-25 from 1945 and the early 1990’s. What they found was that the fundamental frequency … Continue reading Voice Feminization

transphobiaLeave a comment

On the Trans Bathroom Debate

Ariel Jean

Despite studies showing that assaults in gendered spaces like bathrooms and locker rooms have not increased in areas that have passed trans-inclusive bathroom ordinances, our community still faces bathroom discrimination. An Oregon trans woman was beaten, causing facial fractures that required surgery, by a cis man for attempting to use the women’s restroom. A North Corolina trans woman was sexually assaulted by two cisgender women in the bathroom of a bar. A trans woman in DC was assaulted by a security guard for attempting to use the restroom. And it’s not just adults. These prejudices our society has towards transgender people extends to children … Continue reading On the Trans Bathroom Debate

HRTLeave a comment

Fertility Outcomes for Transgender Patients

Ariel Jean

There is a risk of infertility with prolonged Hormone Replacement Therapy. However, even still, trans people do still achieve pregnancy (example, example, example, this guy was pregnant with his second baby post-HRT, this trans man used a trans woman’s sperm to get pregnant). The likelihood of fertility post-HRT is currently unknown because we’re lacking in good studies on the topic. A study by the journal Pediatrics examined two trans women who were on HRT to see if they could regain fertility. Of the post-HRT study participants, one was able to produce viable sperm after halting HRT for 5 months, while … Continue reading Fertility Outcomes for Transgender Patients

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Informed Consent and Why it Matters

Ariel Jean

What is Informed Consent? The traditional way of handling Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) for transgender patients is to obtain a letter of recommendation from a therapist. This can take anywhere from one visit to one year or even more of regular therapy sessions, which, as you can imagine, can be both cost-prohibitive and too time-consuming for a community that faces inordinate rates of homelessness, unemployment, and lack of adequate insurance and transportation access. The traditional way of handling Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) for transgender patients is to obtain a letter of recommendation from a therapist. This can take anywhere from … Continue reading Informed Consent and Why it Matters