Sequestation blamed for flight delays while taxpayers spend $152K on transgender voice study

Sequestration may be the topic of discussion in Washington budget talks and reductions, but critics are getting increasingly louder as air travel delays mount, national parks close and the federal spending includes $152,000 on studying transgender voices.

To “inform and provide new directions for transgender (TG) voice care, thereby improving the lives of TG people who feel their voice is a great obstacle to living as their preferred gender,” the National Institutes of Health (NIH) summary states, courtesy of U.S. taxpayers

photo by photoSteve101 via Flickr

“Incomplete gender presentation can negatively impact the TG individual’s job opportunities, relationships, and social acceptance,” states the project description.

The two-year study, it says, “will inform voice therapy clinical protocols for transgender speakers who face discrimination when their voice does not match their preferred gender presentation, which limits their ability to contribute to society and live healthy, safe lives.”

The NIH awarded the grant to George Washington University, where the project is being led by assistant professor Adrienne B. Hancock, whose “primary research addresses transgender voice and communications,” according to the school’s website.

“She has examined transgender voice physiology as well as the psychosocial influence of voice and communication skills for transgender speakers.”

The study will examine male-to-female transgenders (MTF) to “determine how the passing MTF voice achieves a female-sounding voice with biologically male anatomy,” according to the project description.

The hypothesis is that MTFs whose voices pass as female have “physiological distinctions” in their larynxes that enable them to change their voices.

The data from this experiment will be used “to develop a comprehensive model useful for predicting confidence that a speaker will be perceived as their preferred gender.” This, in turn, will be employed to help those MTFs who still sound male to achieve the female-sounding voices they desire and complete their supposed transition to the opposite sex.

CNSNews.com, which reported on the grant on April 23, asked the NIH for comment on the grant.

“NIH research addresses the full spectrum of human health across all populations of Americans. Behavioral research will continue to be an important area of research supported by NIH. The details of the specific grant that you are inquiring about, including funding amounts and project start and end dates, can be found on NIH Reporter.”

Critics just ask if this is worth flight delays and closing national parks.