Best Practices for Vocal Pedagogy with Gender Diverse People

ABSTRACT

Due to a growing number of gender diverse people studying at university and presenting in voice clinics, teaching and clinical practices in the area of voice need to be adapted to allow students and clients to feel safe, supported, and appreciated in all aspects of who they are. In this article, the authors bring together perspectives from speech-language pathology, vocal pedagogy, gender, transgender, and feminist studies to illustrate the theoretical foundations and practical aspects of suggestions for a variety of best practices voice teachers can implement in their work with gender diverse people. The authors begin by situating themselves personally and professionally within the sociocultural contexts from which they write to illustrate the influences that have shaped their perspectives and to emphasize the located nature of their contributions to the topic area. Their suggestions are informed by culturally responsive and person-centered approaches to teaching and clinical practice and draw on a theoretical perspective that acknowledges the complexity and diversity of the experience and construction of gender in social interaction. Best practices and activities are suggested for teachers of both speech and song, and for classroom, theatrical and departmental level policies.

KEYWORDS:

• Voice
• gender diverse
• non-binary
• trans people
• culturally responsive
• pedagogy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. A bottle shop is a term for a shop that sells alcohol.

2. For more information on Alexander Technique, see https://www.amsatonline.org.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

David Azul

David Azul, PhD, is Senior Lecturer of Speech Pathology, Discipline Lead Speech Pathology and Chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee at La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University, Bendigo, Australia. Their research focuses on (gender) diversity, voice, communication, and wellbeing and combines approaches and perspectives from the health sciences, humanities, social sciences, and creative arts. Publications include Journal of Voice, Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research, International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, and International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology.

Lisa Quoresimo

Lisa Quoresimo, PhD, is Assistant Professor of Theatre at Southern Utah University. She is the co-founder and director of Catalyst: A Theatre Think Tank, where she develops new musical theatre works. Most recently, she produced and co-directed Juliet and Romeo, a new musical by Paul Gordon and Curtis Moore. Her work as a composer and performer has been produced internationally, most recently seen at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Shotgun Players, and the Brava Theatre. Her research centers on the intersection of voice, gender, and musical theatre. Publications include Theatre Topics, Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies, and Analog Game Studies.