Translucent Voices: Creating Sound Pedagogy and Safe Spaces for Transgender Singers in the Choral Rehearsal
January 2018
in “
Scholar Commons (University of South Carolina)
”
TLDR Create safe, inclusive choir spaces for transgender singers with supportive language and programming.
The document addressed the lack of pedagogical tools for choral conductors working with transitioning transgender singers, providing strategies to create safe and inclusive learning environments. It explored historical and contemporary examples of gender nonconformity in Western art music and reviewed literature on transgender issues in music education and speech pathology. A survey of 154 singers, both cisgender and transgender, highlighted the impact of language use in rehearsals, emphasizing the psychological harm of gendered pronouns and sectioning. The document offered exercises to aid transgender singers in vocal transition and suggested inclusive programming choices that support transitioning singers and highlight transgender composers, fostering educational discussions and normalizing transgender experiences in choral settings.