Pitch

While pitch is not the only feature used to achieve more feminine speech/voice, it is indeed the most critical part. Let's face it, without a higher pitch, it is very difficult to sound feminine. Studies show that the average masculine pitch is about an octave lower than feminine pitch: 120 Hertz (Hz) (B2 in musical notes) for masculine, 220 Hz (A3) for feminine, and 155-185 Hz (D#3-G3) for gender-ambiguous. Bottom line, transwomen typically need, along with other feminine speech features, an average pitch of 185 Hz (G3) in order to pass. Pitch exercises

Facts

Vocal folds are about the diameter of a penny. They are longer in men than in women, typically 18 mm vs. 14 mm.

Male vocal folds are thicker than female vocal folds, typically 81 mm³ for men and 28 mm³ for women.

Some phonosurgical techniques thin and/or shorten the vocal folds in order to raise pitch. There is little research documenting the success of such techniques. These surgeries are also risky, costly, and relatively less understood in the field of laryngology.