Hi All!
My name is Lauren and I am a Summer 2020 intern here at The Voice Stylist! I identify as a genderqueer person and I use the pronouns she/her/hers. I’m going to be taking over the blog for the next few weeks, so expect to hear from me on a range of topics related to voice modification and vocal health, as well as the T/GNC community! I figure there is no better time than Pride month to kick off my tenure, as well as to acclimate you all to the lens that this blog will be taking the next couple of months.
Given recent events such as the murders of Tony McDade, George Floyd, and Breonna Taylor (as well as countless others) by police officers, the origins of Pride have begun to take center stage again. Namely, that Pride itself started as a black trans- and black queer-led riot against police brutality and against gender and sexuality discrimination by the state. This is the vein that I want to continue in throughout this internship and this blog. Gender issues as they relate to the voice will obviously be at the forefront of what we discuss here, and I truly think that this in and of itself can be a transgressive (no pun intended!) act as trans and gender nonconforming people reclaim power over their communication.
As I work as a student clinician with T/GNC folks to facilitate their communication transition, my goal is to come at that work from a Pride standpoint - not necessarily the corporate iteration of Pride we see today (though you will see me at a Pride parade from time to time!), but standing on the shoulders of our queer predecessors to continue the liberation work that they started. All of us will be working together to find your more authentic voice and to center trans issues.
That means being an inclusive clinician on my end - specifically working to create a safe space for clients and empowering them to realize that they control their voice, not vice versa. Being an inclusive clinician means being an active listener. It also means being humble enough to recognize a harmful behavior and stop it, and it means to change opinions or practices after receiving new information, whether that information be about the client, the culture, or the practice of voice modification itself. Terminology changes, research changes, clients change. We must be able to change ourselves and our ways of speaking along with that. In a nutshell, it means decentering my voice and experiences to center your own. Kind of like being a good ally, right?
So, I am excited to meet all of you that may be joining me on this journey! I have a lot to learn about voice work and voice modification. As you begin the process of finding your more authentic voice, I begin the process of figuring out how to be the coach that gives you the tools you need to succeed. Let’s enjoy learning together.