Sex Differences
Men and women have different vocal fold sizes. Adult male voices are usually lower pitched and have larger folds. The male vocal folds are between 17.5 mm and 25 mm (approx 0.75" to 1.0") in length.
The female vocal folds are between 12.5 mm and 17.5 mm (approx 0.5" to 0.75") in length.
Folds are pearly white in color - more white in women than in men.
The difference in vocal fold size between men and women causes a difference in vocal pitch. Additionally, genetic factors cause variations between members of the same sex, with men's and women's voices being categorized into types.
Read more about this topic: Vocal Folds
Famous quotes containing the word differences:
“I may be able to spot arrowheads on the desert but a refrigerator is a jungle in which I am easily lost. My wife, however, will unerringly point out that the cheese or the leftover roast is hiding right in front of my eyes. Hundreds of such experiences convince me that men and women often inhabit quite different visual worlds. These are differences which cannot be attributed to variations in visual acuity. Man and women simply have learned to use their eyes in very different ways.”
—Edward T. Hall (b. 1914)