September: Every Body, Faith and Sexuality

I can’t believe September is already over.

We started the month by observing World Sexual Health Day, emphasising the 2026 theme, "Every Body." This two-word phrase highlights that sexual health, rights, justice, and pleasure are universal, belonging to everyone—regardless of body type or life stage.

This year’s theme closely reflects much of my work.

At the start of September, MustShareNews published my article on body neutrality, a perspective that encourages a more nuanced relationship with our bodies instead of constantly expecting to feel positive about them.

Last week, at month’s end, I spoke at ‘Majlis’, a popular event for Singapore’s Muslim community with over 200 registrants. The session included discussions with sexologists and Prof Ustadz Hannan on faith, relationships, and sexuality. I am grateful to Dee Ashburn, a fellow sexologist (https://www.ashburnintimacy.com), for the initial invitation to join this conversation.

Dian and Dee

I said yes because I believe spirituality can be an important part of how a person experiences sexuality. If you are familiar with the MEBES® model you may recall that spirituality is one of the dimensions considered alongside the mind, emotions, body and experiences.

For some individuals, messages regarding faith and sexuality may become linked with guilt, fear, sin, or what is considered haraam. This underscores the importance of thoughtful dialogues within faith communities. Such conversations foster an environment where questions can be raised, myths can be challenged, and sexuality can be discussed with a balanced perspective that combines religious understanding and sexual health awareness.

The discussion went deeper when addressing sexual violence and non-consensual sexual acts. I have been monitoring reports of sexual assault in certain religious communities in Indonesia. These cases are complex, involving faith, authority, community loyalty, sexual rights, and access to justice. Since Singapore and Indonesia differ legally and socially, direct comparisons are limited. Nonetheless, it is crucial in both contexts to treat sexual violence with seriousness, prioritise consent, and prevent religious or community authority from silencing victims.

One of my reflections from the event was that faith-based and secular discussions about sexuality are not necessarily opposing. They can share meaningful commonalities, such as dignity, consent, responsibility, respect, safety, and caring for others. These shared values align with many of the sexual health principles I mentioned during the event.

In a world where sexualised content is widely available, we still need spaces where people of different ages and backgrounds can talk openly, accurately and with dignity about sexuality. These conversations need to respect faith and culture while remaining clear about consent, bodily autonomy and safety.

For me, that is part of what Every Body means. If these conversations around faith, body, and sexuality resonate with you, and you would like a safe, respectful space to explore your own questions, you are welcome to book a session. Whatever your background or beliefs, you deserve support that honours both.