Take a Vocal Fry Vacation: Your Creak or Kim K. Voice is Not Attractive

Take a Vocal Fry Vacation: Your Creak or Kim K. Voice is Not Attractive

Take a vocal fry vacation, please, or better yet, seek out the help of a speech therapist and stop the creak; it is not attractive. As a matter of fact a study has shown your whine could prohibit you from gainful employment, or at the very least get a slap upside the head from someone whose ears are about to bleed from listening to you try to emulate Kim Kardashian.

Happy Monday gorgeous, but maybe not if you suffer from what has now been commonly referred to as vocal fry. The Hair Police has a wad of violations for those that have a creaky voice. Some cannot help it, and should seek out professional help. But if you think it is cute, and are attempting to mimic Kim Kardashian, professionals suggest stopping…NOW!

Many moons ago, when I was a teen, the Valley Girl voice was something to make fun of, not replicate. A movie (of the same name) starring a young Nick Cage capitalized on the phenomenon, and thankfully, the fad faded. However, over the past few years the vocal fry trend has reemerged, with teens and young women actually trying to emulate what they think sounds attractive thanks to Kim Kardashian.

The creak has been something of a pet peeve of mine, and other intelligent humans, for some time. Because the vocal fry has been so unbelievably irritating to the populous, a study was conducted by the University of Miami, which determined this form of speech used by so many young American women hurts females in the labor market. The women who were studied and spoke in the above tone are perceived as “less educated, less competent, less attractive, and less trustworthy,” ultimately making them less hirable. If you aren’t familiar with the vocal fry click the above link and think Kim K…. a low gravel tone that is nasally, which produces a statement that is generally ended in the form of a question…!

Naomi Wolf recently set off a debate among feminists over the topic. The author insists, (and I agree) “young women should give up the vocal fry and reclaim their strong female voice.” Some stated we shouldn’t nitpick, and it is a dangerous line that gives an excuse to ignore women for what is perceived as an annoying voice. While I get the point, I, as a woman, want to ignore the young person speaking like that and not give any credence to what she says, simply because it breaks basic grammar taught in second grade. A question mark indicates a question and a period indicates a statement. When one vocalizes a statement in the form of a question, the speaker sounds indecisive and ignorant…period…male or female. This irritation is exacerbated when the vocal fry or creak is added to the conversation as a characteristic of the speaker’s speech, thus making it impossible to listen.