Voice Quality, Pitch, and Gender Discrimination
Joe Pearce, Jane E. Setter, Amalia Arvaniti · Oxford University Press eBooks · 2025
Abstract This chapter explores the relationship between the voice and gender discrimination in popular culture and academic research, focusing on voice quality, uptalk, and pitch. After considering the historical backdrop where cisgender, male voices were taken as default in research and pointing to media examples where the voice operates as a site for gender bias, this chapter considers the extent to which research in phonetics and adjacent fields reinforces popular misconceptions, and how useful it is for combatting voice-related gender prejudice. Pointing to promising examples of research on women’s voices as well as gay, gender nonconforming, and transgender voices, the chapter concludes by presenting recommendations for future research, and suggesting that this research be communicated to wider audiences to inform professional practices and begin wider discussions to combat the voice being invoked to excuse gender bias and discrimination.