Do I Sound Gay?

[+ Gar1eth]

I'd say it's a truism with a lot of fact behind it. But of course it's not foolproof.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/video/opinion/100000003757238/who-sounds-gay.html?smprod=nytcore-iphone&smid=nytcore-iphone-share

 

 

Gman

[Guest]

There's no way to look inside someone's mind, but if that gay-sounding guy is really straight, my name's Magilla Gorilla.

[+ sync]

Thanks Gman, that video is very meaningful to me. I cannot remember ever not hating my high voice. Even my low voice is high.

[+ Gar1eth]

Thanks Gman, that video is very meaningful to me. I cannot remember ever not hating my high voice. Even my low voice is high.

 

Sync, I definitely know what you mean. I'm 54 and still am occasionally mistaken for a woman on the phone. I don't even have a visible Adam's Apple- and it's not just due to being fat. I didn't have one when I was skinny either.

 

But you know they cherry-picked these two. It's not just that the high-voiced guy sounds gay but has 'gay-ish' mannerisms too. But that may be from being brought up in a female dominated society

 

And obviously it's difficult to know that everyone I think is straight is actually straight while the gay people I know of are obviously gay- but even given that in my experience I'd say that the 'gay voice' is more common among us.

 

Still I remember a Paul Harvey 'Rest Of The Story' I heard years ago. It concerned the French royal family. One of the Queens to prevent her younger son from being a rival for the throne had him placed in dresses and treated as female from a young age. When he grew up, he remained very effeminate but fathered a large number of children. Now of course Paul wouldn't have talked about whether the prince had any male friends too times being what they were. But Paul was making a point that just because someone acts effeminate doesn't mean they couldn't be a red-blooded male in the bedroom.

 

Gman

[+ WilliamM]

Sync, I definitely know what you mean. I'm 54 and still am occasionally mistaken for a woman on the phone. I don't even have a visible Adam's Apple- and it's not just due to being fat. I didn't have one when I was skinny either.

 

Very interesting, because I was raised by my mother and grandmother until my dad came back from World War Two when I was three. Yet I was told all my life that I have a good deep voice for radio. I actually began to incorporate radio interviews as part of my job. The irony is that I never taped any of those radio interviews because I wanted to keep the illusion that I sound great on the radio!

[+ Gar1eth]

The irony is that I never taped any of those radio interviews because I wanted to keep the illusion that I sound great on the radio!

 

I didn't quite understand this. Were you afraid you wouldn't sound good on tape?

 

Gman

[+ WilliamM]

didn't quite understand this. Were you afraid you wouldn't sound good on tape?

 

Yes. I am aware that a person's voice can sound very different from the way they hear their own voice as opposed to the way other prople hear it, or the way it comes across in a recording. I recorded some of my conversations in college. So I have never quite believed all the people who say I should go into radio.

 

Minor point, but people may not realize that they way you hear your voice is not the way others hear it.

[gallahadesquire]

I have a lot of overtones in my voice. It's very distinctive, and it carries, and I hate hearing it.

 

A Well Reviewed Escort told me he'd never take me as gay, due to my demeanor and voice. Odd.

[ZhenXBear]

I've got a deeper voice as well. When I do conference calls, I've had people tell me I should do broadcasting. Heh, apparently it's "soothing" to some people *shrugs* To me, just sounds like...well, me.

[+ Funguy]

I have a lot of overtones in my voice. It's very distinctive, and it carries, and I hate hearing it.

 

A Well Reviewed Escort told me he'd never take me as gay, due to my demeanor and voice. Odd.

 

But what about your clothes?

[+ Gar1eth]

I have a lot of overtones in my voice. It's very distinctive, and it carries, and I hate hearing it.

 

A Well Reviewed Escort told me he'd never take me as gay, due to my demeanor and voice. Odd.

 

But what about your clothes?

 

While I can't speak for Gallahad-I can tell you no one would take me for gay from my clothes. The only time I wear skintight apparel is when I've put on more weight than I should have. And I most likely do not have to add-it's not a pretty sight!!

 

Gman

[TruHart1]

I have a lot of overtones in my voice. It's very distinctive, and it carries, and I hate hearing it.

 

A Well Reviewed Escort told me he'd never take me as gay, due to my demeanor and voice. Odd.

But what about your clothes?

 

A jester's outfit might have been described as "gay" under the old, original definition of the word (fun!) but now, if you happened to be a very masculine jester, I'm not sure you'd appear "gay" under the present definition of being attracted to the same sex!

 

TruHart1

[thickornotatall]

Matthew Bernardo looks and sounds almost exactly like my husband....even the eyes are the same...sparkly and beady....even the same body type...beefy..

[gallahadesquire]

But what about your clothes?

 

Button-down shirt and khakis. Always. I'd be "preppy" except I don't look it.

[robberbaron4u]

If the eyes are the mirror of the soul, the voice is its echo. One of the most handsome young men who I had encountered at Miami opened his mouth and spewed fairy dust on a high note. In a not unkind manner, and, of course, the best of good intention, I recommended a vocal coach to the end of cultivating a voice which would compliment his masculine physical appearance, and, he has not spoken to me from that time.

[thickornotatall]

If the eyes are the mirror of the soul, the voice is its echo. One of the most handsome young men who I had encountered at Miami opened his mouth and spewed fairy dust on a high note. In a not unkind manner, and, of course, the best of good intention, I recommended a vocal coach to the end of cultivating a voice which would compliment his masculine physical appearance, and, he has not spoken to me from that time.

a high pitched squeal with a dose of lisp?...same as a butch hunk gingerly pulling out a gnat size cock and turning over....with a wink!....can't stand a winker..meooooooow!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YztK5BPpPZk

[+ quoththeraven]

Suggesting that someone change their voice is a tricky thing. With enough coaching and motivation, it can be done, but for most outside interference is probably not welcome.

 

There's an argument to be made that the disdain for higher-pitched voices is unwarranted discrimination. You may not like it to listen to, but it's not a measure of a person's worth.

 

I'm tempted to suggest live and let live, but I fear it will fall on deaf ears.

[tyro]

I love being mistaken for a man on the phone or in a drive-thru. Yes, really. Some of the looks I've received when I pull up to the pick-up window have been priceless.

 

On a somewhat-unrelated note (pun moderately intended) WHY does almost NO ONE in recently-released music have a deep voice? Hearing Adam Levine is not a pleasant experience for me. (But I don't particularly like to look at him, either. Yeah, I know...odd girl out.) When did the tenor take over?

 

OK. Short girl jumps down from the soapbox.

T

[+ Gar1eth]

 

On a somewhat-unrelated note (pun moderately intended) WHY does almost NO ONE in recently-released music have a deep voice? Hearing Adam Levine is not a pleasant experience for me. (But I don't particularly like to look at him, either. Yeah, I know...odd girl out.) When did the tenor take over?

 

I like Adam when he's not all 'fabulous' with glitter, ear studs, nail polish, and hair. The natural him is actually quite handsome. As for tenors, I ususally like them. But Meghan Trainor feels your pain.

 

 

Gman

[samandtham]

One of the most handsome young men who I had encountered at Miami opened his mouth and spewed fairy dust on a high note.

 

This comment wins (my side of) the internet.

[+ quoththeraven]

I love being mistaken for a man on the phone or in a drive-thru. Yes, really. Some of the looks I've received when I pull up to the pick-up window have been priceless.

 

On a somewhat-unrelated note (pun moderately intended) WHY does almost NO ONE in recently-released music have a deep voice? Hearing Adam Levine is not a pleasant experience for me. (But I don't particularly like to look at him, either. Yeah, I know...odd girl out.) When did the tenor take over?

 

OK. Short girl jumps down from the soapbox.

T

 

My voice is low-ish but doesn't get mistaken for a man's.

 

I thought tenors took over a long time ago. You may have to listen to opera or classical music (or soul music from the 60s and 70s -- try the Four Tops, Temptations, and Earth, Wind and Fire) to get your deep voice fix. Also some a cappella groups.

 

If it doesn't have to be sung, look for anything featuring Benedict Cumberbatch reading something. (There's a tape of him reading from Casanova's diaries.) Or Alan Rickman. Coincidentally, Cumberbatch does a good Rickman imitation.

[tyro]

I don't know about EWF...Maurice White's songs, maybe...Phillip Bailey's, not so much!

T

[+ quoththeraven]

I don't know about EWF...Maurice White's song's, maybe...Phillip Bailey's, not so much!

T

 

Now that I think about it, Barry White and Teddy Pendergrass are candidates as well. You're right, EWF had singers who sang tenor as well as at least one baritone.

[+ poolboy48220]

Coincidentally, Cumberbatch does a good Rickman imitation.

It's too bad Benedict came into the acting scene too late to land a good part in the Harry Potter franchise.