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I have a transgender student in my choir. Which voice part should he/she/they/ze/... sing?
Does anyone have insight/experience with housing considerations with transgender students during overnight trips at the secondary level?
Do all transgender individuals take hormones/have surgeries/etc? How do these physical changes affect the singing voice as it develops?
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I have a transgender student in my choir. Which voice part should he/she/they/ze/... sing?
- Step one: TALK TO THEM. Find out what voice part they would like to sing, and (perhaps even more importantly) what the connection is (if any) between their voice and their gender identity. Some trans people will wish to sing a voice part that matches their gender identity (e.g., a trans girl/woman may wish to sing alto or soprano). However, some trans people may not feel a connection between voice and gender (e.g., I know a trans woman who is happy to sing low bass). You may also consider a “hybrid” approach to honor a trans singer who wishes to change voice parts. For more specific advice, see:
- Palkki, J. (2017). Inclusivity in action: Transgender students in the choral classroom. Choral Journal, 57(11), 20–34.
- Palkki, J. (2017). Inclusivity in action: Transgender students in the choral classroom. Choral Journal, 57(11), 20–34.
- Step one: ASK THEM what they would feel comfortable wearing. Trans people are not monolithic.
- "In the changing gender landscape of the 21st century, choral teachers may need to decide whether or not some of the traditional choir uniforms (e.g., dresses and tuxedoes) best honor the gender identity of all students. The U.S. Department of Education states, 'some schools have policies that allow transgender students to dress consistent with their gender identity (…) Washington State Guidelines encourage school districts to adopt gender-neutral dress codes that do not restrict a student’s clothing choices on the basis of gender.' Choral teachers may explore a 'concert black' approach in which every singer dresses in all black within specified guidelines to ensure that all outfits are school appropriate. Perhaps in the future, choral teachers could employ fashion designers to create gender-neutral choir uniforms" (Palkki, 2017)
- "In the changing gender landscape of the 21st century, choral teachers may need to decide whether or not some of the traditional choir uniforms (e.g., dresses and tuxedoes) best honor the gender identity of all students. The U.S. Department of Education states, 'some schools have policies that allow transgender students to dress consistent with their gender identity (…) Washington State Guidelines encourage school districts to adopt gender-neutral dress codes that do not restrict a student’s clothing choices on the basis of gender.' Choral teachers may explore a 'concert black' approach in which every singer dresses in all black within specified guidelines to ensure that all outfits are school appropriate. Perhaps in the future, choral teachers could employ fashion designers to create gender-neutral choir uniforms" (Palkki, 2017)
- For a choir of sopranos and altos, "treble choir" is always an option.
- Many schools are using Latin and/or Italian names for their 'gendered' ensembles:
- Robert Hawthorne: We addressed this two years ago. Because I hate the names "treble" for high school (it feels young) and tenor-bass choir is awkward and bass choir is only half right, we switched to Cantus for TB choir and Cantaré for beginning SA and Camerata for intermediate SSAA choir. We describe the choirs by voicing in the catalogue and website. tigardchoirs.com. I also have stopped saying guys and gals and use voicing instead. What is still awkward is saying two voicings together, so I hope to develop a better short hand. The kids like it. We also switched from dresses to Robes. Kids have expressed gratitude for the switch. Robes also take away body image issues and gender issues. Cantus wear black pants and shirt with ties that change for each concert. I had a transgender female in Cantus and gave the option of wearing a scarf instead of tie. She chose to wear the tie because she was not out to her family.
- Kenny Stultz: School colors can offer good ideas as well.
- Kira Dixon and Jon Souza (Gilroy, CA):
- Gilroy High School: SA Voci Eterno; TB Fortis Chorum
- Christopher High School: TB Cantate; SA Bella Voce
- Here is a great letter from Dr. Kyle Zeuch of the Michigan State University Community Music School.
Does anyone have insight/experience with housing considerations with transgender students during overnight trips at the secondary level?
- "Similar to discussions about name changes and choir names, dialogue regarding rooming arrangements on overnight choir trips should be carefully approached when considering transgender students. Most importantly, the choral teacher can have a dialogue with the trans student to see how they feel about their rooming situation. According to the “Dear Colleague Letter,” 'A school must allow transgender students to access housing consistent with their gender identity and may not require transgender students to stay in single-occupancy accommodations or to disclose personal information when not required of other students.' Conversations with supervising adults may be required, especially if the trans student is not widely 'out.' Choral teachers should also consult with their administration and school district policies" (Palkki, 2017)
Do all transgender individuals take hormones/have surgeries/etc? How do these physical changes affect the singing voice as it develops?
- The short answer is NO. Not all trans people have a desire to transition medically and/or hormonally. Some trans people undergo hormone replacement therapy (HRT), some do not. There are researchers doing some great work in this area, notably Billy Sauerland and Danielle Steele. There are some things written in the speech pathology literature and, recently, in the singing literature: See: Sims, L. (2017). Teaching Transgender Students. Journal of Singing, 73(3).
- For trans women (people who are assigned male at birth but transition to female) who have gone through puberty in their assigned birth sex, HRT (Estrogen) will not make many noticeable changes to the larynx/singing voice. Once the vocal folds have lengthened, Estrogen will not cause the cords to shrink.
- For trans men (people who are assigned female at birth but transition to male), HRT (Testosterone) will, in fact, change the vocal folds. Testosterone will yield results similar to "traditional" male puberty. There is a great need for research on trans male singers who undergo HRT. For more specifics, see:
- Constansis, A. (2008). The changing female-to-male (FTM) voice. Radical Musicology, 3. Retrieved from http://www.radical-musicology.org.uk/2008/Constansis.htm
- Constansis, A. N. (2013). The female-to-male (FTM) singing voice and its interaction with queer theory: Roles and interdependency. Transposition. Musique et Sciences Sociales, 3. https://doi.org/10.4000/transposition.353
- Female to Male Transition: http://transgendervoicechange.weebly.com/female-to-male-transition.html
- Sims, L. (2017). Teaching Lucas: A Transgender Student’s Vocal Journey from Soprano to Tenor. Journal of Singing, 73(4).
- Wicklund, K. (2013). Voice training/reassignment FAQ for transgender clients. Retrieved November 9, 2015, from http://www.singershealth.com/trans-voice.html
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