Behind the Voice

Whether writer/director and subject David Thorpe sounds gay isn’t so interesting. What is interesting is the cultural stigma—sometimes real, sometimes only perceived—surrounding what, after watching Do I Sound Gay?, could be described as the gay voice.

Thorpe, in an effort to sound more masculine—or less gay, or one of the many other ways he describes it—enlists a couple of speech therapists. Along the way, he talks with other gay men about what it means to be gay and how much one’s voice plays a role in self-identity. One of the many surprising revelations is the fact that writer David Sedaris reveals he’s always secretly thrilled when someone doesn’t realize he’s gay just by hearing his voice.

The inherent self-loathing behind feelings like that are the most compelling (and heartbreaking) moments in Do I Sound Gay?, and many of the interview subjects admit to deep-rooted shame over their voices. It’s a sad byproduct of coming up in a time when, despite much advancement for gay rights in the U.S., there’s still a fear of assault by some ass-backward jerk who doesn’t approve of your lifestyle. Do I Sound Gay? doesn’t get very deep, but it does highlight a lesser-known struggle inside the gay community.

DO I SOUND GAY?

Directed by David Thorpe

Jean Cocteau Cinema

NR
77 min.