Expanding the “voice and communication situation” model to include gender-diverse people presumed male at birth

PURPOSE: model developed in regard to gender-diverse people presumed female at birth would be also adequate for gender-diverse people presumed male at birth. METHOD: A mixed-method approach was applied to collect quantitative and qualitative data. Nineteen people people presumed male at birth in the US, including some who were not seeking professional voice services, completed a survey and participated in semi-structured focus group discussions on their vocal and communication demands. Discussions were transcribed and analysed following principles of Grounded Theory and Consensual Qualitative Research, which allowed identification of participants' core ideas and synthesis into domains, subdomains, themes, and subthemes. RESULT: Three domains were identified in the transcripts from focus groups: (a) Voice and communication function, (b) communication-related Well-Being, c) Sociocultural Positioning. These align with three domains developed for transgender people presumed female at birth. CONCLUSION: The utility of the voice and communication situation model for understanding the needs of gender-diverse people extends to those presumed male at birth. The voice and communication situation model is useful to guide exploration beyond gender-centred and listener-centred goals and to address any gender-diverse individual's unique voice and communication situation.