Men use "vocal fry" more than women, counter to stereotype

A new study shatters the stereotype that 'vocal fry' is predominantly a young female speech pattern, finding men use it 30% more often across all age groups. Researchers analyzed 1,500 conversations and discovered male speakers deployed creaky voice in 45% of utterances, compared to 35% among women. This surprising result upends assumptions that have long linked the feature to femininity and social ineptitude. The findings suggest gender-based speech stereotypes may be more myth than reality.