The Sound of Women's Voices

Did you know that the  six most common complaints about the sound of a women's voice are:

• Their voice is too high
• They sound like children
• They don't sound authoritative enough
• They have vocal fry
• They use too much upspeak
• Their voice is too low

For a woman who wants to speak up publicly, it can start to feel like we are damned if we do, and damned if we don't. 

This week I had the opportunity to talk to Christine Adam, an international voice, accent and communication skills coach, about why women's voices are more critically received when they speak up in public.  It was a fascinating AND frustrating conversation.

I hope you'll listen!

Guest Bio:
Christine Adam is an international voice, accent and communication skills coach. She works with clients on vocal presence, power, range and expressivity, body language in communication, compassionate listening and managing performance anxiety. Her clients range from actors to business professionals, activists, teachers and anyone who is curious about becoming a more effective and empowered communicator. Through her company, Voice what Matters, Christine offers private coaching programs, bespoke workshops and digital courses, as well as a podcast and a YouTube channel.  Christine has an MFA in Voice Studies from the Royal Central School of Drama in London. She is a certified Fitzmaurice Voicework(r) teacher and Organic Intelligence(r) coach. She is also a States-based Communication coach for RADA Business, based in London.

Resources Cited:
Mary Beard Article  "The Long Tradition of Women Being Told to Shut Up"
Selena Simmons-Duffin "Talking While Female"