Jess chats with Ivan Coyote, a non-binary writer, storyteller, and performer. They talk about storytelling, gender identity, finding their voices, growing up without trans role models in media, why so many trans people find their identities in music, and how to find community when the world feels dark.

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• (00:00) - Show Intro

Speech-Language Pathologists have played a major part in bringing gender-affirming voice training to communities worldwide. Jess speaks with Sherri Zelazny, a Vancouver-based SLP, who helps trans people change their voices through the Changing Keys program in BC. They discuss voice training, the role of SLPs, and vocal health.

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Jess speaks with Dr. James Thomas, a laryngologist who may be the leading expert in pitch-altering vocal surgeries. They talk about what options are available, what kinds of results are possible, and what to expect in terms of recovery and complications. Surgeries discussed include the Cricothyroid Approximation, Feminization Laryngoplasty (FemLar), and Vocal Cord Webbing.

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• (00:00) - Show Intro

Jess speaks with Claire Michelle, founder of the Seattle Voice Lab, about how to feminize your voice, coaching trans voices, and the unique challenges that trans women face when it comes to speech and voice.

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• (00:00) - Why This Show Exists

What do others assume about us from our voices? Jess speaks with Dr. Kathryn Campbell-Kibler, an associate professor of linguistics at Ohio State University, who specializes in sociolinguistics — The study of how society and culture affect language. They discuss how gender norms change how we speak, and how our speech changes the way others perceive us.

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