Shameless: A Sexual Reformation

Let’s begin our journey with a gentle invitation to imagine a different kind of circle—one that is wide enough to hold you, me, and all the people who have ever felt left out by the stories we were told about our bodies, our loves, and our worth. In the gentle morning light, picture a gathering where every person is welcome, every story honored, and every body seen as holy. Too often, we have been handed a circle so small that only a precious few can squeeze inside, and even then, only by denying parts of themselves. This is the circle drawn by purity culture, by rules that say only the right kind of love, the right kind of body, the right kind of desire is worthy of blessing.

But what if the circle could be redrawn? The author’s story begins with a protest—taping Prince’s androgynous symbol over bathroom doors, a playful yet profound act that says, 'There is room for you here.' It’s a reminder that activism can be creative, that spirituality can be joyful, and that the boundaries we inherit are not always the ones we must keep.

As we listen, we meet Meghan, a trans woman who knows what it is to live outside the circle, and countless others—divorced, queer, asexual, those who love differently or not at all—who have been told that God’s plan does not include them. But the truth that emerges is healing: God’s plan is bigger than our plans, and our flourishing matters more than our conformity. The author calls us to be less loyal to doctrine than to people, to recognize that if our beliefs hurt others, it’s time for reformation.

This section also draws on the wisdom of the World Health Organization, teaching us that sexual health is not just the absence of sin or disease, but a state of well-being, respect, and fulfilled rights. Consent and mutuality are the baseline, but the heart of a truly Christian ethic is concern—a deep, attentive care for the flourishing of self and neighbor.

As we close this opening chapter, let’s carry forward the image of a circle ever-widening, of boundaries redrawn by love, and the gentle hope that wherever you have been planted—even in the corners—there is water, there is belonging, and there is a new story to tell. Let’s move gently to the next section, where we’ll explore the roots of shame and the journey to reclaiming our bodies and stories.