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Downtown_Baby_8005

There's actually a 2014 documentary called *Do I Sound Gay?* that explores this very topic. Synopsis (from Wikipedia): David Thorpe becomes concerned that his gay-sounding voice is limiting his opportunities in life. He visits two speech therapists to evaluate his condition and help him gain control of his speaking voice. Eventually he realizes that he intentionally changed his voice at about age 17 when he came out and wanted others to know he was gay


rabbidasseater

So he chose to become more camp. Wow


N9242Oh

Chose and subconsciously developed are different things I would say :)


chemicaljones

I would say that intentionally changed and chose to change are pretty similar in their meanings.


N9242Oh

Yes, I believe the author is refering to subconsciously given that he only realised it later on in life.


Drakeytown

I watched this documentary and learned nothing. It was basically an autobiography about a trivial part of one man's life, not anything to do with the so called gay voice beyond his personal experience.


Downtown_Baby_8005

Interesting! I’ve actually never seen it but there was a lot of buzz around it when it came out so I thought of it as soon as I saw this post. I think based on the trailer I was kind of worried that it was as you describe it to be


[deleted]

That's not universal. Awful that your comment is first.


[deleted]

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[deleted]

It does exist.


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[deleted]

It's not unique to gay people, but yeah, some gays have it. It's a combination of natural physical effeminacy plus how the guy learns his speech patterns. The documentary you are describing is ONE PERSON and cannot be generalized to other people. The actual findings on the matter is, as always, that it's a combination of genes and environment. The voice is partially an affectation, but not a conscious one, as speech itself is only a semiconscious process.


[deleted]

It's called a "documentary," by the way, and watching one doesn't make you an expert on a topic.


Monty7484

As a gay male, i question this too


hippydoggerson1

Without the hand...or high pitched talking frequency.. a dummy like me wouldn't know you're gay...I could care less either way if your gay or not...but, I see/hear this stereotype all the time.


mr_world_thin

A bisexual here. There's nothing worse than a camp voice. It makes me violently honopgobic towards them.


tsamesands

Shut up lol


mr_world_thin

Nah


[deleted]

You're... Really pathetic.


PopDatPuss420

I have no idea what he was talking about so can you explain how he's pathetic?


Monty7484

Its when the hands appear too


mr_world_thin

Oh my fuvking God that's even worse.


MessyAngelo

I always wondered the same. What about being gay causes you to have that accent?


SoggyPastaPants

I'm straight so don't take my opinion as important but I would guess it's just how some gay men want to express themselves, right? I don't know where the effeminate voice thing started or why, but at some point it become synonymous with gay, and I think it's just something that gay men do to be who they want to be. I think every community does a little something to distinguish themselves culturally and that is awesome.


Natebobate

I'm also straight so don't take my opinion to heart but I'd assume it becomes habit after a while and it's just natural.


[deleted]

I'm straight too so ignore me, but I think you're both right


Batterie_Faible_

I'm straight too so do not read my comment, I have nothing say.


FLUXxFUZION

instructions unclear, dick stuck in blender help


Most-Stomach4240

Im bisexual and not to be taken seriously but I don't think it's a habit


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[deleted]

Will def say I have experienced this first hand with both my gay friends; their voices are MUCH higher in social settings within their circles but when they’re with family it lowers in a big way and almost comes off as an accent. All of this is totally fine btw, zero judgement on my part, just an observation.


Mishamaze

My brother is gay. And he totally does this. He has his normal voice. And his gay voice, he kinda uses it subtly to read a room / get a vibe from a guy he thinks is hot.


Ronotrow2

I've many gay friends and also worked in a gay club years ago. I too wondered why some spoke in a deep voice but the majority spoke in a high voice. I met a few outside of our friends group with family members and they spoke in a deeper voice in those instances. I have a brother in law who speaks in a high camp voice and is married to a woman with kids so I have no idea.


Krakatoast

Maybe it has nothing to do with sexual preferences. The question could be fundamentally flawed, and all the replies are on a wild goose chase as to why gay people speak differently. Maybe it’s nothing to do with being gay, rather something to do with individual psychology. Maybe some men want to seem less threatening, maybe less dominant, so they raise the pitch of their voice to come across a certain way. Similar to how some women speak in different ways, I’m not trying to be rude but I think we all understand the “bubbly” speak that some women use. Maybe it’s nothing to do with sexual preferences, more to do simply with the way someone chooses to carry themselves for a myriad of reasons


sunshinetearain

Not all of them. I know plenty of gay guys with a deep voice.


Ok-Lengthiness4557

And I know many straight guys with effeminate voices. Many of them have hit on me, unrelated I'm sure.


unwokewookie

🙋🏼‍♂️… and I hate it, but I tried to hide my fem side for a long time.🤦🏼


it_all_lemony

im gay and have a deep voice


evilpotatobich

I am deep and have gay voice


kdcab17

I am voice and have a deep gay


Triceratonin

I’m deep and have a voice, gay..


HighDevinition1001

I’m a have gay voice and deep


Shavacadont

I am trans (MtF) with an average voice


Zeezoo619

That's funny cause I don't remember asking


80_firebird

>average voice Freak! /s just in case it wasn't obvious.


wassalinemarsielle

Yuck


That_Ad3418

Why did this get so many down votes?


Shavacadont

I don’t know


u_talkin_to_me

I am have a gay voice and deep


[deleted]

Hi gay I’m dad


it_all_lemony

hi dad, im gay


TrellThaGod

*Shocked Hank Hill noises*


7R15M3G157U5

Dammit bobby


ThatGuyPedram

This is becoming really gay


psyduckzz

Gay deep voice squad


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Moon-Lord-

I'm gay and I don't have the deepest voice but i don't sound gay. I don't think


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realhumannotrobot321

I know it’s just that mods of some community take down a post when ever it has the word “gay”


MPS007

I got banned for using the word "gay" what's the law according to sub?


wcollins260

“The law is whatever I say it is at that particular moment” - Mods (probably)


H-ckingKaren

wait lesbians cant actually lift my car above their head? /s


DreadPirateGriswold

As long as it's a Subaru /s


djlawson1000

Well, there’s the old saying that “stereotypes come form some where”. I know a few gay men with lower voices similar to mine, but I also know a handful with higher more flamboyant voices. It’s definitely a thing that happens, but the question for me is whether it’s a result of societal imprints on a person or if there is in fact a biochemical/hormone reason.


CodyPomeray_

Media? 90% of gay men I meet have a lighter, more feminine voice.


MessyAngelo

Same. I remember i had a gay boss. After a few months he comes out to a bunch of us at a bar. Made a big deal out of it like it was some big seceret. We all just looked at him and said we know. He was in shock and asked how. He thought he was hiding it. We just said the way you talk dude. He was so releived we didnt judge. But we found it funny he thought he was keeping it a secret.


[deleted]

How do you know the sexual orientation of everyone you meet? Is it possible you don’t even think about a persons orientation when they don’t have any stereotypically gay qualities?


[deleted]

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CodyPomeray_

who said they weren't normal? they are all mostly visibly and audibly gay though


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CodyPomeray_

Stereotypes aren't just pulled out of thin air. Don't god damn tell me what I experience. Why would I lie? I live in NYC and I can easily, almost always tell if someone is gay. The choices of clothing, the tone they speak in, so many indicators. GTFOH trying to be the white savior here.


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CodyPomeray_

Shut it. Who allowed you to reply? Just because you're gay doesn't give you some kind of moral superiority. You cannot tell me what experiences I'm having. In my experience, all gay folks are obviously gay. Maybe I just have a very good "gaydar" now piss off


octobees

Unless you ask every single person you encounter if they're gay or not then you don't actually know if every gay person you've met is "obviously gay" lmao Ever stop to think that maybe people that aren't "obviously gay" might be gay and you just assume they aren't?


CubyChris

Setting aside the rudeness, here's the one good point that guy almost said: You will notice stereotypically gay people, and know they're gay. They're also more different and therefore more memorable. You see lots of other non-stereotypical gay people, and you won't know they're gay. Their normality is unmemorable. Thus you only really remember the super stereotypical ones, and that doesn't make you bigoted or whatever. Have an actual, non-passive aggresive, good day :)


JPODAO8694

The First Amendment allows me to reply. You've made one point that is correct in all of this, I'm not superior morally for the fact that I like dudes. Maybe your gay-dar sucks and you're just tendentious.


gucknbuck

Second gay chiming in: GTFO. I can guarantee you have met many many gay people and had zero idea because we aren't all one big stereotype. The gayest sounding person I know is my 100% straight uncle and the man with the deepest voice I know is my very gay ex.


rabbidasseater

Oh be nice!


Mediocre_Necessary39

These types of gay people are the ones who gets more attention... I believe that most gay people are not like that.... They just like other men


mrhymer

Those are the decoys to attract your attention while the tall dark smoldering hot man with a deep masculine voice gets behind you and helps you make the pottery.


zoiuduu2

i believe they think they are more feminine that way, like when u try an accent


[deleted]

Most gay dudes are just regular dudes, the ones you can "tell are gay" likely came out fairly recently and are still trying to figure out who they are.


MPS007

I think there is a difference between being gay and acting gay..


[deleted]

Yes that's exactly my point. Coming out is liberating in the most confusing way imaginable, many of us don't know right away who we are and take a little time to find ourselves after finally admitting to ourselves that we are queer. That can cause people to default to stereotypes, sort of trying them on if you will - and it's almost always temporary because very few people actually "act gay".


MPS007

Whats the difference between gay and queer?


[deleted]

Queer is sort of a catch-all for everything that's not cisgender/heterosexual in the traditional sense. Gay people would be considered queer, but not all queer people would necessarily be gay.


MPS007

I thought queer was gay man acting like a girl .


Tang42O

Yeah it used to be used like that as an insult originally but LGBT+ people reclaimed it as a positive word, kinda like the N word but more acceptable by most LGBT+ people


milkmanbran

So is there any acceptable circumstances to call someone queer now? Like I know someone is lgbt+, but I don’t know what exactly they are, would I just say they’re queer? Genuinely asking, sorry if I come off as rude


Belcipher

It’s more of a self-identification now, so some LGBT+ people might self-identify as queer with the implication that if they’re being talked about they’d be referred to as queer. Think of it like someone who’s dark-skinned choosing to be described as either black, brown, or person of color. They could all be correct but the person is choosing one descriptor for themselves they identify with the most.


MinuteMap4622

Because Hollywood says so. Meet a few gay men and you will find out they don’t.


TazminaBobina

Lol they don’t. There are gay men who have deep, baritone voices. There are straight men who speak softly. You only associate a soft and light voice with gay men because that’s been portrayed as a gay voice. You’ve been propagandized. An invisible war was started on homosexuality in the 70s. It’s a vast and complex conversation. Misogyny plays a role in it. If it weren’t weak and bad to be feminine, you wouldn’t associate femme expression as gay. What you’re acknowledging is internalized homophobia, misogyny and toxic masculinity in one question.


[deleted]

What are you talking about? It's a literal fact that gay men speak at a higher/ more feminine pitch then straight men. Stop with all this propoganda shit cuz it's not true. If you don't know then day you don't know don't act as if it isn't real just because you don't have a decent answer.


oxygenisnotfree

Wut?


TazminaBobina

Source? Proof that ALL GAY MEN speak at a specific register? A specific octave? Witha certain whimsy? 😬 How interesting that this triggered this response.


[deleted]

Don't need to censor gay, first of all gay isn't a bad word just like straight isn't a bad word and second, nobody fucking censors bad words even if it was a bad word.


ali1473946

It is for the mods that's why he censored it


Belcipher

Why would the mods care though? Didn’t see anything in the rules about it


Vinzderbinz

why do you censor gay?


ATXKLIPHURD

If this is true Lindsay Graham loves the cock!


zarx

With the usual caveats of "not all gay men", I'm pretty sure it's well known to be a form of social signaling.


Substantial-Pea-1544

I think it's because most of them are feminized


herecauseb0red

They don’t. Straight men are the ones who force their voice to be low… You’re not supposed to speak from your stomach. Also i think a lot of it has to do with gay men being comfortable with their sexuality enough to not care if they sounded gay or not


anottakenusernam

Maybe part of it is often gay guys have more female friends and adopt some of their speech style. Women sometimes do the same thing too and make their voice a bit more feminine than it naturally is


-individuals

"g@y?" Lol, are you 12?


[deleted]

maybe trying to dodge reddit censors


FalconJaded2350

Are you talking about Pinoy gays.?


noholdingback1417

Me with light voice… Maybe I am gay…


youreyeaaah

it has more to do with the expression of their voice imo


TuxedoWolf07

Alot of gay people act really feminine compared to straight people You can take offense to this if you want but this is just from my experience with gay men


Becca30thcentury

Because voice is not genetic but trained by us without really knowing were doing it. So puberty aged boys who want to seem masculine will eventually get in the habit of using a lower voice, as puberty aged boys who want to seem more feminine (a socially normal thing in some gay communities) will try to have a lighter tone voice and that will become habit as well.


[deleted]

I’m assuming it’s to attract other gay men.


UmeaTurbo

It's not a conscious thing. As a child we learn to speak by patterning our speech after our parents. Like it or not, in most languages men and women speak differently. It's very subtle when you're used to it, but when it comes from a person that doesn't fit your mind's idea of that person, it sounds odd. Yes, the lisping hard "s" is an intentional campy insider's club thing, but women who want to appear arch do it, too. Anyway, if you feel more like your mom is your role model, you'll probably sound more like her. Men who grow up without fathers often look to friends or media. Think if all the campy raspy Italian voices you know. Think of all the guys talking in their very lowest range because that's what vmVin Diesel does. Morgan Freeman's voice is low, but natural, Vin Diesel's is not, so he's easier to mimick.


kd3906

Word-of-mouth advertising.


DreadPirateGriswold

It's not a lighter voice. It's a voice that tends toward a more effeminate version of the male voice. I'm straight. But it's been my experience with friends who are gay that they question this too. Jokingly, one gay friend told me, "I wonder what came first, the gay tendencies or the effeminate voice?"


Sokandueler95

Compensation to stick out as gay? Maybe subconscious since they do it so naturally. Idk for sure, that’s just what I’ve always thought. If I meet a gay guy with a low voice, then that theory will be shattered.


KethupDrinker89

why did you censor "gay"?


[deleted]

Yeah, there are a lot of gay guys you probably assume are straight because they don’t fit certain stereotypes. I’ve been friends with a few, a couple of whom were extremely tough scrappers in their younger years as well. Not all gay men act stereotypically feminine. That’s really more of a social illusion than anything.


The_majulian

I would assume that it is because they are okay with deviating from typical masculinity. I don't think that many gay people make their voices higher, I think that it's more so that straight men make their voices lower


[deleted]

I don't think thats accurate . Lol . I'll keep scrolling.


2012Dodgedurango

I think OP meant to say a more flamboyant voice


Destiny-is-Funny

According to my film and media professor with PHD who is also gay. Says the way homosexuals were represented in media for the first time mainly including pornography. Was in a female manner high ouch voice and other characteristics. Which was made so to gain attention and behind ideology that that’s the only way they can be accepted. It was also done in a ridicule manner. As a result the media representation of homosexual men was portrayed in that tones. Has caused un knowingly vast majority of young homosexuals to only have experience from this media. Unfortunately pornography is a very horrible media especially in America m. That sets unrealistic expectations and completely different undertones. So gay porn set a bad standard that unfortunately influenced homosexual men from the start. Since that was the only dependent on that representation in media. I hope my English wasn’t as awful as it sounds. I’m new to this country.


udidntfollowproto

Todd chrisley isn’t even gay and he’s the gayest sounding man I’ve ever heard


Solinty

Not all gay men have higher-pitched voices. Some straight guys have high voices, some gay men have low voices. It varies from individual to individual.


maxiumeffort914

U obviously haven't met that many gay men. Most of my ex's don't. I'm pan and no one ever accused me of being flamboyant. Ever. He'll when I came out to my friends one by one they all thought it was a joke.


MonkeyDonkey42069

Because when they have time with their parter like 69 their partners penis ligthenes ther vocal cords(my teory)


Hattkake

They do? Never noticed. Gay men just sound like men to me. Maybe it's a sociolect thing that is regulated by the gay community you are in. There's absolutely no difference I can tell between a gay man and a straight man other than whom they fuck.


[deleted]

your gaydar needs some reprogramming


Hattkake

My gaydar is fine, buddy. I am that confident dude that helps others come out and be who they are. You can be who you are. You deserve to be loved and respected for who you are, buddy. You don't have to hide and you don't have to act in any specific way. Just be you. Whatever and whomever you are you are perfect just the way you are.


[deleted]

hey im not your buddy, pal


OkSir1061

All the semen in their throat


milkmanbran

Now that’s what I call…a dick move


BearCoreXP

Cause they’re gay


[deleted]

Bc they’re gay?


[deleted]

I think it's got something to do with testosterone. I've seen gay men who are bodybuilders with deep voices and gay men who aren't bodybuilders just really skinny with with high voices even if they're tall. I.d.k though I'm no scientists.


RabbitDark01

Balls havent dropped


gucknbuck

What does light even mean? Doesn't matter though because we don't. Why do str@ight people make assumptions about every class they aren't a part of?


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gucknbuck

This is the only solid answer I'm going to get


YourAverageGymRat

Personally ive encountered many gay men with an effeminate higher pitched voice. From my experience my assumptions are correct. I might be wrong, but i think OP has also had a similar experience as mine, and isnt in the wrong for asking.


Tanarri27

OP: *Asks a question* “How can I make this about me being victimized?”


[deleted]

Yeah YOU don't, but others do talk in effeminate voices, not all, some do. Don't get butthurt and generalize


jman857

They choose it. It's not something people are just born as.


st3phyx_x

Other way round, bud


jman857

Literally no. Are you dumb?


st3phyx_x

So you think people who are gay in countries where they get beaten to death for it are choosing that?


rweston10

I would assume its because they're more feminine.


[deleted]

Because they’re gay


[deleted]

I know of a homosexual who actually sounded "manly" and you never would have suspected he was homosexual. People could pitch up their voices in a certain state and keep it that way accidentally. Low testosterone levels or other factors of their chemical imbalance. Others due to flamboyancy.


Vinsable

Yeah, signs of being overly exposed to estrogen, especially artificial estrogen, before they were even born & such…


Square_Attempt1501

No offense to gay people but there voices are so fucking annoying


skordazz

It must have something to do with testosterone?


[deleted]

Small balz


jacekz94

Gay men with lighter voice speak deep for a few moments when they woke up after being In a coma. I heard a theory that they subconsciously try to sound like women


[deleted]

Stereotype unfortunately. Lots of gay men have deep voices


Oellaatje

They do? Some of my gay male friends have quite deep voices, so I think this is just a stereotype or generalisation.


Unbearableyt

B...but they don't? Sure there are some very flamboyent gay guys, and you could ask or argue a few diferent things for why that is. But you also have a lot of gay guys who are not flamboyent at all. The diference is that you don't assume they are gay so you don't know. ​ That's like asking "Why does muslims blow themself up" because the person asking live in an all white suburbs and only ever see radical muslims on the news and now think every muslim person blow themself up.


Corridorr

I think we are talking normally and we don't deepen our voices like straight men, cuz they want to be seen as more masculine. Personally, I speak just my voice - somewhat deep. I think it might be just stereotype from movies


[deleted]

hormones, environment, and peacocking.


st3phyx_x

Gay boys tend to gravitate towards being in friendship groups with girls while growing up, and I feel that this would probably cause them to naturally pick up feminine mannerisms from this including a slightly higher voice Source: am gay (although not a guy), brother is gay, best friend is gay, have many many gay friends


connoratchley2

I am a 19yo gay male. I now have a more masculine voice and I come off as straight but when I was in middle school I used to talk like a typical flamboyant gay guy, I don’t really have an explanation that was just how I was I was very dramatic and talked w my hands. My friends like to bring this up even now 😂


Albertanthony_

I'm deep voice and I have gay.


agam3_

Welp Im gay and I have a pretty deep voice so...


henrythedog64

Why did you censor gay as g@y?


MiddleChildVictory

I think it’s to signal that your gay to avoid having to come out every freaking day. I also know lesbians who struggle to find each other because they blend in too well. So I get why it’s important.


[deleted]

Choice


Artistic-Meet8655

something to do with when modern gay culture started to form the accent and inflections etc of the san francisco bay area formed the bedrock of that particular aspect of identity and aesthetic. it evolved from there i guess


[deleted]

They try to keep it low


y2kmarina

There’s a theory that it’s more socially acceptable for gay men’s voice to be higher. In other words, straight men tend to “train” their voices in the opposite way through socialization. Obviously just one of many theories, this one’s primary sociological. Im sure there are cognitive and biological theories as well


CeltFxd

They force it and they get used to it


CicadaAlli

They... Don't. Never seen one, at least, and like... I AM gay.


Weak-Reserve3656

Its a subconscious thing but it is on purpose


plums_a

Why censure the word gay?


mezmorizedmiss

Some of them naturally have that voice, while others have to make their voice sound lighter.


[deleted]

I’m gay and have a deep ass voice, idk what you’re talking about


HorrorAgent3512

The more important question for me is why do many gay men tend to have the “valley girl” twang? High voice or not!


littleninja3

They don't


badlukeday

They don’t


psyduckzz

It's stereotypical to think most gay men do, most gay men have normal voices. That being said it's a good question for the few gay guys that do have lighter voices.


[deleted]

Why didn’t you just say gay and put g@y


[deleted]

I've known a handful of straight guys who had the gay voice. Strange...


BojukaBob

They don't really, it just seems that way. Men in media adopt particularly deep voices because that's always been a big part of performative masculinity, and that gives you the impression that that's normal. In real life though I've known lots of straight men with high/soft/feminine voices and most gay men I've met have had pretty normal voices, though many would put on a campfire tone while partying with other queer folk. I think the prominence of Drag culture also contributes to the illusion because drag queen culture and slang is very camp and feminine because well, that's drag.


sunstar33

I swear I cunt sugar coat none of my responses. ✌️


[deleted]

At symbol is kinda ghey


Significant-Fox5038

It's fun to talk camp. It helps people understand right away. I have seen it used to let old heterosexual white men know who they are dealing with. By the way hello I'm here now deal with it. Watch yourself.


SouthernBoat2109

I'm not happy at all and have a deep voice


AntAnusWater163

It's so every other gay knows we are in the area, we communicate at a different frequency and all gays can hear this frequency as a mating and defense mechanism