Catholic university provides 'Gender Affirming Voice Therapy': report

On Jun 26, Marquette University published a promotional flyer for its “Gender Affirming Voice Therapy” training through the school’s Speech and Hearing Clinic. 

The since-deleted web page stated, “Individuals may request our services to create a voice, along with other aspects of communication, that align with their gender identity and/or gender expression, according to reporting by Young America’s Foundation (YAF). 

Marquette is a Jesuit institution located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 

 Its clinic primarily “evaluates and serves children and adults of all ages with autism spectrum disorders’’ in addition to others with similar communication impairments. ”Gender Affirming Voice Therapy” is listed under “pediatric programs” on its website. 

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According to the removed web page, the therapy is catered toward “adolescents and adults having a goal of addressing perceived feminine/masculine and gender non-conforming voices,” and provides treatment in various areas to assist patients in developing a voice that is consistent with their “gender identity.”

“Clients may include those who identify as transgender (transmasculine and transfeminine), gender fluid, gender diverse, gender non-binary, gender nonconforming, or other gender identities” stated the flyer.

Areas of the therapy’s focus include pitch, body language, facial expressions, and “social rules of communication,” including learning “how to adjust your voice for different situations, how to express different emotions, and how to express yourself across different languages and cultural situations.”

The program also includes therapy on how to generate laughter, coughing, and other non-speech vocalizations to effectively mimic those associated with the opposite sex.

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The program is led by assistant professor Katherine Czelatdko, who “has a high interest in providing services to the transgender population, specifically within the areas of gender-affirming voice and communication therapy.” 

“The [Marquette University Speech and Hearing Clinic] serves all ages, infant to geriatric,” according to the program’s flyer.

Students enrolled at Marquette can attend the program free of charge, whereas non-students will have to pay a cost of $300 for 12 sessions.

Campus Reform has contacted all relevant parties for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.