A trans woman made a comment about another trans woman’s voice that made me think.

She said she did not find this person’s voice to be “convincing”.

My question is, “it’s not ‘convincing’ of what, exactly?” A cis woman? Womanhood? Femininity?

I understand many trans women may feel the need or desire to have a voice that is perceived by others to be the voice of a cis woman. It makes their lives easier. Some people may feel at risk of exposure to not only disrespect and rudeness, but to hate induced violence. So, yes, an extra layer of safety is gained by a voice that is perceived as cis. This is quite an achievement and for some, may require months to years of work and practice.

But, this type of voice is not what every trans woman needs or wants. Some women (trans or non-binary) prefer to have the voice of a trans person – one that may be perceived as very feminine to some people, or less so by others. After all, what is a “woman’s voice” but a voice that comes from a woman? A man’s voice is a voice that comes from a man. They are all unique and representative of infinitely varied sets of characteristics. The voice of a trans person is simply another set of vocal characteristics. Most importantly, they are all valid.

I hope to embrace, appreciate and celebrate people whose voices do not align with the typical vocal characteristics and standards set by the gender binary.