This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jul/17/camp-the-voice-gay-rights

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Do you sound gay? What our voices tell us – and what they don’t Do you sound gay? What our voices tell us – and what they don’t
(3 days later)
As compliments go, I’ve had better. “You don’t seem gay.” The smile, with eyebrows raised in approval, tells me it’s supposed to be a compliment, and once again I’m baffled. I can’t easily compute what it means to be gay if it’s not having just identified yourself with that label. What they’re really saying, of course, is that you’re not, in the words of Quentin Crisp, “self-evident”. You haven’t – at least in that moment, at that party – exhibited the mannerisms linked in many people’s minds with male homosexuality. The notion you would be pleased to find this out reveals an unthinking prejudice: how refreshing it is to meet a gay who doesn’t make a meal of it. As compliments go, I’ve had better. “You don’t seem gay.” The smile, with eyebrows raised in approval, tells me it’s supposed to be a compliment, and once again I’m baffled. I can’t easily compute what it means to be gay if it’s not having just identified yourself with that label. What they’re really saying, of course, is that you’re not, in the words of Quentin Crisp, “self-evident”. You haven’t – at least in that moment, at that party – exhibited the mannerisms linked in many people’s minds with male homosexuality. The notion you would be pleased to find this out reveals an unthinking prejudice: how refreshing it is to meet a gay who doesn’t make a meal of it.
I have to admit it hasn’t happened for a few years. Maybe people are smarter these days, maybe I’m better at picking parties. Maybe I’m more “gay”. Anyway, as a linguist, what really intrigues me about this kind of exchange is that “seems” is largely a proxy for “sounds”. Yes, seeming gay – broadly speaking, being camp – is a way of holding oneself, a way of dressing, but it’s in large part a way of speaking. This is something American film-maker David Thorpe knows. His quest to understand why he talks the way he does is the subject of a new documentary, Do I Sound Gay? In it, he wonders out loud how and why he developed a timbre, a tone, that many people point to as evidence of his sexuality. And yes, he does sound a bit gay. I have to admit it hasn’t happened for a few years. Maybe people are smarter these days, maybe I’m better at picking parties. Maybe I’m more “gay”. Anyway, as a linguist, what really intrigues me about this kind of exchange is that “seems” is largely a proxy for “sounds”. Yes, seeming gay – broadly speaking, being camp – is a way of holding oneself, a way of dressing, but it’s in large part a way of speaking. This is something American film-maker David Thorpe knows. His quest to understand why he talks the way he does is the subject of a new documentary, Do I Sound Gay? In it, he wonders out loud how and why he developed a timbre, a tone, that many people point to as evidence of his sexuality. And yes, he does sound a bit gay.
But what does that really mean? Actually, the concept of camp is too broad. Apart from anything else, it’s not the preserve of gay men or even human beings. Women can be camp – ask Lady Gaga or Nicki Minaj – and so can literature and architecture. I’m more interested in the phonetics of what has, in the past, been called “the voice”: the lisping, the swooping intonation, the clipped tones.But what does that really mean? Actually, the concept of camp is too broad. Apart from anything else, it’s not the preserve of gay men or even human beings. Women can be camp – ask Lady Gaga or Nicki Minaj – and so can literature and architecture. I’m more interested in the phonetics of what has, in the past, been called “the voice”: the lisping, the swooping intonation, the clipped tones.
Phoneticians have identified a few telltale traits. Often, this has involved getting people to sit in a lab and listen to recordings of men speaking. They’re then asked to rate each one by perceived “gayness”. The findings include – concentrate, because this is the science bit – an affrication of t and d (a little bit of a hiss at the end), the dentalisation of s, z and n. So-called vocal fry is often present (think Kim Kardashian at her breathiest), as are high-rising terminals (also known as “uptalk” – the statement that sounds like a question). And yes, the stretching out of “sibilant” consonants such as s and z (imagine Kenneth Williams saying “She sells sea shells on the sea shore” and you’re sort of there).Phoneticians have identified a few telltale traits. Often, this has involved getting people to sit in a lab and listen to recordings of men speaking. They’re then asked to rate each one by perceived “gayness”. The findings include – concentrate, because this is the science bit – an affrication of t and d (a little bit of a hiss at the end), the dentalisation of s, z and n. So-called vocal fry is often present (think Kim Kardashian at her breathiest), as are high-rising terminals (also known as “uptalk” – the statement that sounds like a question). And yes, the stretching out of “sibilant” consonants such as s and z (imagine Kenneth Williams saying “She sells sea shells on the sea shore” and you’re sort of there).
And what about gay women? Could you tell a lesbian by her voice? The research says probably not. There are a few theories knocking around as to why this might be: Arnold Zwicky, in his camply titled 1994 paper Two Lavender Issues for Linguists, suggests that: “For many lesbians, what is most important is identification with the community of women – while for many gay men, what is most important is distancing themselves from straight men.”And what about gay women? Could you tell a lesbian by her voice? The research says probably not. There are a few theories knocking around as to why this might be: Arnold Zwicky, in his camply titled 1994 paper Two Lavender Issues for Linguists, suggests that: “For many lesbians, what is most important is identification with the community of women – while for many gay men, what is most important is distancing themselves from straight men.”
This may or may not be true. But looking at the research more generally, a few things appear to be certain. First: there is a style of speaking that people associate with gay men. Second: not all gay men use it, and some straight men do. Third: this style of speaking isn’t simply an importation of “feminine” qualities into male speech, although that appears to be what a lot of people think.This may or may not be true. But looking at the research more generally, a few things appear to be certain. First: there is a style of speaking that people associate with gay men. Second: not all gay men use it, and some straight men do. Third: this style of speaking isn’t simply an importation of “feminine” qualities into male speech, although that appears to be what a lot of people think.
Now, we’re still left with the question of why a gay male voice might emerge. That’s not so hard. There’s mountains of evidence to suggest we adapt our speech to more closely resemble that of people we identify with – and, just as importantly, to sound different to those with whom we feel we have less in common. The particular sounds a group of speakers makes use of are arbitrary. They acquire meaning and recognisability only through association. The fact that these changes are usually unconscious is well documented, and explains why Thorpe felt it sort of crept up on him. But, linguistically speaking, sounding gay is really no different from sounding street, sounding posh or sounding like a bro.Now, we’re still left with the question of why a gay male voice might emerge. That’s not so hard. There’s mountains of evidence to suggest we adapt our speech to more closely resemble that of people we identify with – and, just as importantly, to sound different to those with whom we feel we have less in common. The particular sounds a group of speakers makes use of are arbitrary. They acquire meaning and recognisability only through association. The fact that these changes are usually unconscious is well documented, and explains why Thorpe felt it sort of crept up on him. But, linguistically speaking, sounding gay is really no different from sounding street, sounding posh or sounding like a bro.
Socially speaking, of course, it’s a bit different. Because gay men have long been stigmatised, the voice is often a source of shame. Thorpe himself sought help from speech pathologist Susan Sankin to change his diction. “When I’m not confident in my life for whatever reason, sometimes those feelings of shame and stigma resurface,” he told National Public Radio. After a bad breakup, “I started to find myself repelled by gay voices ... by these chattering gay voices around me”. So he went to see Sankin. Socially speaking, of course, it’s a bit different. Because gay men have long been stigmatised, the voice is often a source of shame. Thorpe himself sought help from speech pathologist Susan Sankin to change his diction. “When I’m not confident in my life for whatever reason, sometimes those feelings of shame and stigma resurface,” he told National Public Radio. After a bad breakup, “I started to find myself repelled by gay voices ... by these chattering gay voices around me”. So he went to see Sankin.
Let’s rewind a moment to that word: pathologist. We can assume she usually deals with people recovering from strokes that have affected the parts of the brain related to language, or people with severe stammers. And here she is teaching David to sound less gay. Was he the first client to approach her with that “problem”? “No, not at all,” she says. “The interesting thing, though, was that David was the first person who came to me and was upfront about being gay. Very often in the past people would come to me and say ‘I think I need to improve my articulation’ or ‘I have an “s” problem’ ... I don’t try to dissuade them because when people come to see me they’ve typically reached the point where it’s really bothering them.” Let’s rewind a moment to that word: pathologist. We can assume she usually deals with people recovering from strokes that have affected the parts of the brain related to language, or people with severe stammers. And here she is teaching David to sound less gay. Was he the first client to approach her with that “problem”? “No, not at all,” she says. “The interesting thing, though, was that David was the first person who came to me and was upfront about being gay. Very often in the past people would come to me and say ‘I think I need to improve my articulation’ or ‘I have an “s” problem’ ... I don’t try to dissuade them because when people come to see me they’ve typically reached the point where it’s really bothering them.”
This is very sad. No one should have to feel self-conscious about such a fundamental expression of the self as the way they speak. No one should be shamed on the basis of their voice. Sadly, Sankin goes on to demonstrate that she’s part of the problem. She talks about how she successfully eliminated her New Jersey accent. She says uptalk drives her crazy: “It makes women sound very immature.” “Like” is “used excessively”. She even argues that vocal fry, which she believes people are copying from TV shows, is physically damaging: “You’re really fatiguing and straining [the vocal cords], you’re putting them in an unusual position.” There’s absolutely no evidence for this – as Sameer ud Dowla Khan, professor of linguistics at Reed College, has pointed out, it’s a standard feature of languages such as Danish, Vietnamese and Burmese. This is very sad. No one should have to feel self-conscious about such a fundamental expression of the self as the way they speak. No one should be shamed on the basis of their voice. Sadly, Sankin goes on to demonstrate that she’s part of the problem. She talks about how she successfully eliminated her New Jersey accent. She says uptalk drives her crazy: “It makes women sound very immature.” “Like” is “used excessively”. She even argues that vocal fry, which she believes people are copying from TV shows, is physically damaging: “You’re really fatiguing and straining [the vocal cords], you’re putting them in an unusual position.” There’s absolutely no evidence for this – as Sameer ud Dowla Khan, professor of linguistics at Reed College, has pointed out, it’s a standard feature of languages such as Danish, Vietnamese and Burmese.
All of this voice-sharming reminds me of an episode in musical history. When disco, a subversive dance movement that spoke to black people and women and gays, broke through, it was vilified by mainstream rock lovers for being kitsch and plastic. They called it the “Disco Sucks” movement. Check out the contempt on Roger Daltrey’s face when he mutters “watch your backs” just before the Village People come onstage on Top of the Pops in 1980 – a moment the BBC was recently criticised for editing out. In hindsight, it’s clear it wasn’t just a question of fashion, but a rejection of minority tastes by those with power. All of this voice-shaming reminds me of an episode in musical history. When disco, a subversive dance movement that spoke to black people and women and gays, broke through, it was vilified by mainstream rock lovers for being kitsch and plastic. They called it the “Disco Sucks” movement. Check out the contempt on Roger Daltrey’s face when he mutters “watch your backs” just before the Village People come onstage on Top of the Pops in 1980 – a moment the BBC was recently criticised for editing out. In hindsight, it’s clear it wasn’t just a question of fashion, but a rejection of minority tastes by those with power.
This can happen in the realm of speech, just as it can in other parts of culture. If there are any lessons to be learned here, vocal or otherwise, it’s surely that disco was cool, camp is fine and “sounding gay” is just however gay people happen to sound. This can happen in the realm of speech, just as it can in other parts of culture. If there are any lessons to be learned here, vocal or otherwise, it’s surely that disco was cool, camp is fine and “sounding gay” is just however gay people happen to sound.