Voices

Abstract

In simple terms, a voice is the sound produced by the lungs and vocal organs, but what of those who cannot speak? What of those who can but are too shy or removed from society to be heard? In truth, having a voice means more than just the production of sound. It is to have meaning and to express individual thoughts and experiences. This broadens what we understand as ‘voice’ to include other forms of language and communication. Thus, in becoming so synonymous with expression, voice comes to suggest a sense of belonging to a place or idea, a partaking in decisions, and inevitably, a divulging of ourselves to others. After all, what we do with our voice says a lot about us. [excerpt]