If you’re a woman who has been told you have puberphonia, or you’re wondering about a persistently high voice, there is a place for your questions here.
Can the term apply to women?
Yes. ColumbiaDoctors describes puberphonia, also called functional falsetto, in the context of both male and female voice development. It occurs more often in males. The usual pitch change during female puberty is smaller, so a woman’s voice should not be judged against the change expected in a male voice.
A naturally high voice can also be comfortable and healthy. The useful starting point is what is happening with your voice: how it has developed, whether speaking is difficult and what you want help with.
Your goals belong to you.
You might want to be heard more easily, speak with less effort or feel more comfortable with how people respond to you. You may already have a diagnosis and be working on a different speaking pattern. You can start with those concerns, without aiming to sound like the male recordings on this site.
Voice assessment considers your individual voice and daily needs. Explain any weakness, strain, tiredness or changes alongside pitch, and tell the person helping you what matters most.
Which parts of this site might help?
My story is written from my own experience as a man. The pressure I felt around masculinity is part of that story. You may recognise the fear of being heard differently or the frustration of being misunderstood, while other parts may feel quite different.
- If you’re still looking for an explanation, continue to what a voice assessment involves.
- If you already have a diagnosis and are changing your speaking pattern, go to the physical and emotional sides of change.
- If the name doesn’t seem to fit, explore other voice difficulties.
You don’t need your experience to match mine for your questions to matter.