Move aside Kim Kardashian! Men are more likely to use 'vocal fry'

"Researchers have challenged the assumption that vocal fry - also described as a 'creaky voice' - is a hallmark of young women's speech. Instead, they argue the opposite is true, turning the stereotype on its head. 'The narrative took hold in the early 2010s, when a wave of mainstream media articles framed creaky voice - aka vocal fry - as a rising "affectation" of young women,' Jeanne Brown, from McGill University, said."

"After asking listeners to rate voice creakiness, she discovered that the main driver of vocal fry was low pitch rather than gender. And it turns out men and older speakers exhibit more creak than young women. 'The conflict between that finding and everyday perception, where women are routinely flagged as creakier, suggests the bias is real but socially constructed, rather than grounded in how women actually sound,' she said."

"In the last few decades, vocal fry has been linked to a lack of confidence and intelligence. Some people argue that it sounds unpolished and unprofessional. Ms Brown said people may now have a social expectation about who 'should' sound creaky, which could explain why the bias continues to spread."

"When it comes to men, some famous examples of vocal fry being used include David Bowie in his song Let's Dance. Right Said Fred's tune I'm Too Sexy also significantly features a creaky-style voice. Sean Connery's timeless line - 'Bond, James Bond' - is also exceptionally creaky, and he is considered the ultimate cultural example of masculine vocal fry."

Vocal fry, also called a creaky voice, has been stereotyped as a young women’s affectation. A study challenged that assumption by testing listener ratings of voice creakiness. The main factor linked to vocal fry was low pitch rather than gender. Results showed that men and older speakers exhibited more creak than young women. The mismatch between measured findings and everyday perceptions suggests social bias rather than differences in how women actually sound. Vocal fry has also been associated with perceived lack of confidence and intelligence, and some view it as unpolished or unprofessional. Social expectations about who should sound creaky may help the bias persist.

Read at Mail Online