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Nonverbal Communication

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Voice and Communication in Transgender and Gender Diverse Individuals

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Abstract

Nonverbal communication is broadly defined as the way we exchange information or ideas using tools other than spoken language. In addition to nonverbal vocalizations like laughing, communicating nonverbally involves sensory modalities beyond hearing and includes facial expressions, eye gaze (oculesics), physical appearance, body movements (kinetics) and posture, use of space (proxemics) and time (chronemics), touch (haptics), smell (olfactory), artifacts, and environment. Nonverbal communication can be useful when expressing and affirming gender identity while also impacting gender perception. This chapter introduces aspects of nonverbal communication, explores existing research and gaps within this research, and describes the speech-language pathologist’s (SLP) role in supporting clients to identify and target nonverbal communication to promote affirming gender expression. A safe, compassionate, and discovery-based approach to training that honors all gender identities and recognizes people of all cultures and abilities is proposed. Supporting clients with nonverbal communication behaviors may involve addressing social competence skills in relevant scenarios and situations. By considering the client’s social competence skills, training of nonverbal behaviors is grounded in intentional communication acts throughout the process. Training for nonverbal communication can include metacognitive activities, creative movement, and role-play. The training approach introduced in this chapter allows clients the freedom to progress at their own pace, centers their preferences and goals in the most functional ways, and ultimately provides them with an empowering experience to draw from after discharge.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Outpatient, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Ali Heitzman

  2. Singuistics, Pinole, CA, USA

    Libby Lavella Perfitt

  3. Wellness Group for Voice, Speech, and Swallowing, LLC, Portland, OR, USA

    Aaron Ziegler

Authors
  1. Ali Heitzman
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  2. Libby Lavella Perfitt
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  3. Aaron Ziegler
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Aaron Ziegler .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Mount Sinai Health System, New York, NY, USA

    Mark S. Courey

  2. Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, D.C., DC, USA

    Sarah K. Rapoport

  3. Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Mount Sinai Health System, New York, NY, USA

    Leanne Goldberg

  4. SKB Voice Studio, New York, NY, USA

    Sarah K. Brown

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Heitzman, A., Lavella Perfitt, L., Ziegler, A. (2023). Nonverbal Communication. In: Courey, M.S., Rapoport, S.K., Goldberg, L., Brown, S.K. (eds) Voice and Communication in Transgender and Gender Diverse Individuals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-24632-6_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-24632-6_9

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-24631-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-24632-6

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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