Amazon Alexa has enabled a transgender voice for International Transgender Day of Visibility

29 March 2019, 11:17 | Updated: 31 March 2019, 15:07

The device will invite the listener to visit a change.org petition applying pressure to advance trans rights on the UN’s human rights agenda.

Amazon Alexa users will be able to access a transgender voice on International Transgender Day of Visibility (March 31st) to initiate a much-needed conversation on transgender issues.

#VoiceofTrans will see UK users of Amazon Alexa-enabled devices be able to activate the voice of a transgender man by asking “Alexa, open the voice of trans”. The project has been inspired by a desire to give the Trans community a platform, allow them to tell their story and to have their voice listened to. Their aim is to make trans issues a national talking point.

Once activated, the voice will go on to thank the listener for wanting to listen to him and will proceed to tell his story, which will be compiled from a series of real-life experiences from members of the transgender community around the world.

According to the press release, he will take the listener through the journey of his life with the listener being able to decide which sections they hear first, "from his time as a child and hating 'girly' clothes, to the difficulties he faced at school. He will also address the time he attempted to take his life, and his transition. However, life has improved for him since his operation and he describes going on dates after his transition and his recent marriage to his girlfriend Aliyah.

"The voice will then invite the listener to visit a change.org petition applying pressure to advance trans rights on the UN’s human rights agenda, in order to effect change on a global scale for the trans community.

The option will be available to Alexa users in the UK.