We're in the process of making some changes to the DFW Voice Feminization Support group. One of the big changes is the transition from Meetup to Facebook, which seems to be the preferred communication tool for most of the local trans* community.

The monthly meeting in the past has been from 1pm-4:30pm at the Dallas Resource Center but it has become evident that we really only need about 1 hour to meet as a support group. In the past we tried a few other activities including voice practice, but effective voice practice requires a daily routine. Once per month training is not effective, according to voice training experts.

About the New Facebook Group

I'm in the process of transitioning from the Meetup group to a Facebook group, as some of you may have seen from emails I've posted to the existing Meetup site.

This is a "secret" Facebook group to protect the privacy of participants, which means it will be accessible by invite only. Invites will be sent to DFW and North Texas area trans women who express an interest. I will make it's existence known on public website postings, but only invited members will be able to see the list of members, event places/times, or the discussion.

Soon I will also be posting a code of conduct for the group, to make it clear what type of discussion/topics are expected, and what kinds of postings will not be allowed. In my experience at the monthly in-person meetings, participants treat each other with respect, so I'm not too worried. However, I want to be prepared for the group to grow. We're not going to allow abusive postings or nude photos here, and I hope this group will mostly stay on-topic...while feeling free to be creative and open within the scope of the group.

I'm looking for at least one co-administrator who can help moderate and also send invites to expand the group.

Stay tuned for upcoming events, info about training programs, and local voice feminization resources! Feel free to jump in and ask questions or post useful links!  We'll be organizing some of the info on the public website, and I will be glad to allow others to contribute content to the site!

Kickoff Meeting With Kathe Perez

We had a good turnout at yesterday's meetup, with 16 participants (some have not joined the Meetup site yet). Personally I had a blast, and I truly believe Kathe's program will work for us!!!  We just need to make the commitment, form up into gal-pal teams, do the homework, and attend the upcoming group meetings with Kathe.

Kathe Perez was the star of the show, and it was fantastic having a chance for us each to speak with her via teleconference. As a 30-year veteran certified speech pathologist, and leading expert worldwide in voice feminization with 15 years experience treating trans women, she was able to provide extremely helpful answers to all our questions.

In addition, Kathe came across as friendly, enthusiastic, down-to-earth, and honest about what it takes to succeed in feminine voice training. She really thought our group support approach would make a big difference in helping each of us succeed, and has outlined an group participation approach for each of us to pair up with a "gal pal" and follow a defined set of activities. 

According to her, this is a proven system, and we've seen the testimonials from others who have gone through the program, so I believe her. I am going to make a personal commitment to see this through, and clear out my schedule to ensure I have adequate time to work with my gal pal and get this done.

The DFW Feminine Voice Makeover is a Go!

We reached the minimum of 10 paid signups for the DFW Feminine Voice Makeover program! This means the program is a GO! We'd still like more to sign up, to a maximum of 30. Please help spread the word to any trans women you know in the DFW area. This is a tremendous group discount over Kathe's retail price, a $402 value for only $67.  Furthermore, our community group support of this program can help you succeed! If you have trouble building up motivation to work on the training materials, and 

Thanks for Helping Others!

Several attendees kicked in a little extra to help financially challenged trans women to join the program. Without mentioning names, I'd like to publicly give a big thank-you to those who paid extra!

Make Sure You Register!

If you have paid but not registered, please visit the signup page and register. You can also signup without paying, to let me know you're interested.

Several others have expressed an interest but not paid yet. I'm still working out the deadline for payment, but it will probably be this week in order to provide time for depositing & transfer to Kathe, and allow us to download the files soon after.

I need to be paid in cash, check, or money order. You can mail a check to me, or we can meet physically somewhere during the upcoming week (such as at the Wed evening GEAR mtg). Contact me for arrangements!

If you need financial aid to join this program, or help obtaining a voice tuner, please contact me and we'll figure something out.

Nov 2014 News for DFW Voice Feminization Group

Our first three meetings (Aug, Sept, and Oct 2014) all had from 16 - 18 attendees, with some of the same faces at each meeting, and some new attendees each time. Overall I would estimate our group has 30 people in varying stages of advancement in their voice feminization training.

The exercises, discussion, and educational content from the meetings has been mostly well-received. However, most of us need better educational materials and homework assignments. We also need to organize the various notes and documents from discussions on a website, and need a discussion forum to carry on followup conversations.

For that reason, I've decided to create this website, along with a separate dedicated Meetup.com site, to better cater to our needs as a group. If you'd like to attend our meetings, please do join us on Meetup.com.

Introducing a new Kathe Perez program for our Group

In addition, I've sought the help of a leading innovator and expert in voice feminization therapy, Kathe Perez, to help our group make the substantial progress we all need. Many of us can't afford professional speech therapy, and I heard pretty clearly from our group that they would be highly interested in discounted products from Kathe. After speaking with Kathe about this, I found that she was very willing to help us out with a group rate and a custom-tailored program for our group.

So, I'm excited to announce the DFW "Voice Makeover" program for our group, kicking off at our Nov 15 meeting. The initial promotional meeting is free, and 3 month program is very affordable at a total of $67. Please check it out and contact Sheila Allen if you're interested in participating.

Voice Feminization SIG Kickoff Meeting from Aug 2014

Recently a group of trans women and gender queer folk in the Dallas area commenced a recurring monthly meetup dedicated to mutual support in retraining our voices to match our gender identity. 

Announcement of the First Meeting, Aug 2014

Introductory meeting at the GEAR Resource Center (Blue/Yellow Room) for the Voice Feminization SIG (Special Interest Group), for those wishing to study and practice with others. The event is free, but seating is limited. Experience level will range from total beginners to those who have had prior voice feminization training. 

Voice feminization requires a lot of practice and some education about best practices and techniques. Whether or not you have received professional voice therapy, success requires commitment and ongoing effort. If you are determined to work toward developing a feminine voice, possibly even a beautiful feminine voice, this group is here to help you boost your knowledge and motivation with encouragement, ideas, resource sharing, group practice exercises, and the support of friends. 

The first meeting will start with a presentation by Sheila Allen, who is a beginner herself but has put together a presentation collecting the high points from a number of videos, audio files, and tips from experts. This presentation will focus on understanding the goals and stepping stones, the tools we’ll need along the way, and ideas about how to can collaborate and learn together going forward. During this three hour meeting, we’ll cover these topics at a high level, including supplementary audio/video resources and tools (such as mobile apps), with some time for discussion on each, with practice exercises at the end.

- Inspirational Example Videos to Show What’s Possible
- Goals for this SIG
- Surgery Option
- Voice Training Resources
- Resource Sharing
- Mindset
- Body Language when Speaking
- Cultural Differences
- Best practices in caring for voice
- Practice song list
- Dealing with “off days”
- Sneezes, Coughs, and Laughing
- Concepts of Voice Feminization
- Speech trainers
- Exercises for Practice

Afterward, some of us will be going out for dinner and general socializing, and all are welcome to join (we may want to setup a separate Meetup event for that!)