# As Part Of The Sex-Change Operation..... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 24, 2002, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-part-of-the-sex-change-operation/99813 "2002-03-24T04:45:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-part-of-the-sex-change-operation/99813/1 "2002-03-24T04:45:31Z")
… is the adam’s apple removed? Please forgive the possible incorrect terminolgy in the title, and also I am not considering surgery of this type. I have just always been curious. Thanks Quasi ---
**Author:** ![whistlepig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/73ab20/32.png) [@whistlepig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whistlepig)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-part-of-the-sex-change-operation/99813/2 "2002-03-24T04:47:25Z")
It’s “shaved” to reduce it’s size/prominence. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-part-of-the-sex-change-operation/99813/3 "2002-03-24T04:55:04Z")
More specifically… [http://www.symposion.com/ijt/hbigda/vancouver/morrison.htm](http://www.symposion.com/ijt/hbigda/vancouver/morrison.htm) > [@](#): > > Many persons undergoing a male to female gender change are able to achieve satisfactory voice effects by training and practice. Others require a surgical procedure to elevate the vocal pitch, and the crico-thyroid approximation is the favoured technique. Approximating the cricoid and thyroid cartilages results in a stretching pull on the vocal cords. This tensioning mimics the action of the crico-thyroid muscles which normally act to increase vocal pitch. Closing the crico-thyroid space surgically, with permanent suture material, enforces the voice user to speak in a falsetto range most of the time. If effective it should make it impossible to speak in a low male tone. Sometimes it doesn’t work, and then other methods to shorten the vibrating length of the vocal cords may be used, such as creation of a web in the larynx with a laser assisted anterior commisure plication > > Other than for vocal pitch, trans-gender laryngeal surgery may be requested for removal of the laryngeal prominence or “Adam’s Apple”. Most of the upper front half of the thyroid cartilage can be removed. It is important to preserve and protect the region of the thyroid cartilage midway between the notch and the lower margin, where the vocal cords attach to its inner surface. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-part-of-the-sex-change-operation/99813/4 "2002-03-24T05:00:08Z")
I [wondered about this once](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=13544&highlight=Adams+apple), too, and **Otto** posted a [link](http://heartcorps.com/journeys/) to look at. ---
**Author:** ![Some\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Some_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-part-of-the-sex-change-operation/99813/5 "2002-03-24T12:52:32Z")
What **DDG** ’s link doesn’t cover is the relative frequency of voicebox surgery, which is low (though it is rising). The main reason for this is that it’s unfortunately easy to both, at which point you end up with a voice that sounds like it comes from Mars. Worse, at that point it’s basically uncorrectable. Furthermore, it’s an additional expense, not covered by insurance, on top of an insanely expensive procedure that’s also not covered by most insurance plans. Of course, cut-rate doctors can be found, but they’re precisely the people most likely to botch it. ---
**Author:** ![Stimpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/779978/32.png) [@Stimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stimpy)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-part-of-the-sex-change-operation/99813/6 "2002-03-24T13:45:35Z")
don’t women have adam’s apples anyway? they’re just smaller?! i went out with a girl who had what looked like an apple because her neck was so long and skinny… christ, i thought she was a girl.