Belonging: Gender, Sex & Spirituality

Tutu Teach Foundation
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Spirituality

Belonging: Gender, Sex and Spirituality is a global podcast exploring how gender identity, sexuality, faith, and spirituality intersect across cultures, religions, and lived experience.

  1. 2d ago

    Belonging Episode 10 - Rabbi Marianne Van Praag

    Belonging: Gender, Sex & Spirituality For our tenth episode, we are honored to welcome Rabbi Marianne Van Praag, a respected spiritual leader, teacher, and advocate for meaningful dialogue at the intersection of faith, identity, and human connection. In this powerful conversation, Rabbi Marianne explores how Jewish tradition, sacred texts, and religious practice engage with questions of gender, sexuality, belonging, and spiritual expression. Drawing on her experience as a rabbi, she reflects on the evolving relationship between ancient wisdom and contemporary understandings of identity, and how faith communities can create spaces of inclusion, dignity, and compassion. Together, we discuss the role religion plays in shaping our understanding of ourselves and one another, the tensions and possibilities that emerge when tradition meets social change, and how spirituality can serve as a pathway to deeper belonging. Join us for a thoughtful and inspiring finale as we explore what it means to honor both tradition and transformation in the pursuit of a more connected and compassionate world. 🎧 Episode 10 featuring Rabbi Marianne Van Praag is available now.

    42 min

  2. 2d ago

    Belonging Episode 10 - Rabbi Marianne Van Praag

    Belonging: Gender, Sex & Spirituality For our tenth and final episode, we are honored to welcome Rabbi Marianne Van Praag, a respected spiritual leader, teacher, and advocate for meaningful dialogue at the intersection of faith, identity, and human connection. In this powerful conversation, Rabbi Marianne explores how Jewish tradition, sacred texts, and religious practice engage with questions of gender, sexuality, belonging, and spiritual expression. Drawing on her experience as a rabbi, she reflects on the evolving relationship between ancient wisdom and contemporary understandings of identity, and how faith communities can create spaces of inclusion, dignity, and compassion. Together, we discuss the role religion plays in shaping our understanding of ourselves and one another, the tensions and possibilities that emerge when tradition meets social change, and how spirituality can serve as a pathway to deeper belonging. Join us for a thoughtful and inspiring finale as we explore what it means to honor both tradition and transformation in the pursuit of a more connected and compassionate world. 🎧 Episode 10 featuring Rabbi Marianne Van Praag is available now.

    42 min

  3. May 29

    Belonging Episode 9 - Puneet K. Bindlish

    Episode 9 of Belonging: Gender, Sex & Spirituality is now live. 🎙️✨ This week, we’re joined by Puneet K. Bindlish — researcher, educator, and scholar of spirituality, leadership, and lived religion — whose work bridges ancient wisdom traditions with modern conversations around identity, humanity, and belonging. In this powerful episode, we explore:• India’s understanding of the third gender and gender fluidity• The spiritual concept of Tritiya Prakriti• Ancient wisdom traditions and their relevance today• Spirituality beyond binaries• What it truly means to belong on a collective and human scale This conversation invites us to rethink identity not as something rigid, but as something deeply human, expansive, and interconnected. Now streaming on all platforms. 🌍 #BelongingPodcast #GenderAndSpirituality #TritiyaPrakriti #ThirdGender #GenderFluidity #Spirituality #AncientWisdom #PodcastLaunch #Belonging

    39 min

  4. May 29

    Belonging Episode 9 - Puneet K. Bindlish

    Episode 9 of Belonging: Gender, Sex & Spirituality is now live. 🎙️✨ This week, we’re joined by Puneet K. Bindlish — researcher, educator, and scholar of spirituality, leadership, and lived religion — whose work bridges ancient wisdom traditions with modern conversations around identity, humanity, and belonging. In this powerful episode, we explore:• India’s understanding of the third gender and gender fluidity• The spiritual concept of Tritiya Prakriti• Ancient wisdom traditions and their relevance today• Spirituality beyond binaries• What it truly means to belong on a collective and human scale This conversation invites us to rethink identity not as something rigid, but as something deeply human, expansive, and interconnected. Now streaming on all platforms. 🌍 #BelongingPodcast #GenderAndSpirituality #TritiyaPrakriti #ThirdGender #GenderFluidity #Spirituality #AncientWisdom #PodcastLaunch #Belonging

    38 min

  5. May 15

    Belonging Episode 8 - Thupten Jinpa Langri

    In Episode 8 of Belonging: Gender, Sex & Spirituality, hosts Mpho Tutu van Furth and Marceline Tutu van Furthwelcome Thupten Jinpa — Buddhist philosopher, compassion researcher, and the longtime English translator to Dalai Lama. From a small Tibetan community to becoming one of the world’s leading voices on compassion and contemplative wisdom, Jinpa’s journey is one of identity, displacement, purpose, and profound spiritual transformation. Navigating life between cultures, languages, and belief systems, he reflects on what it means to remain rooted in humanity while embracing change, difference, and deeper understanding. In this deeply moving conversation, Jinpa shares how spirituality can become a bridge rather than a barrier — inviting us into greater empathy, self-awareness, and connection with one another. Together, the conversation explores how gender, sexuality, and spirituality intersect with our universal longing to be seen, accepted, and to belong. This episode is a powerful reminder that belonging is not about fitting into a single identity — it is about compassion, authenticity, and learning how to hold space for ourselves and others with grace. 🎙️✨

    48 min

  6. May 15

    Belonging Episode 8 - Thupten Jinpa Langri

    In Episode 8 of Belonging: Gender, Sex & Spirituality, hosts Mpho Tutu van Furth and Marceline Tutu van Furthwelcome Thupten Jinpa — Buddhist philosopher, compassion researcher, and the longtime English translator to Dalai Lama. From a small Tibetan community to becoming one of the world’s leading voices on compassion and contemplative wisdom, Jinpa’s journey is one of identity, displacement, purpose, and profound spiritual transformation. Navigating life between cultures, languages, and belief systems, he reflects on what it means to remain rooted in humanity while embracing change, difference, and deeper understanding. In this deeply moving conversation, Jinpa shares how spirituality can become a bridge rather than a barrier — inviting us into greater empathy, self-awareness, and connection with one another. Together, the conversation explores how gender, sexuality, and spirituality intersect with our universal longing to be seen, accepted, and to belong. This episode is a powerful reminder that belonging is not about fitting into a single identity — it is about compassion, authenticity, and learning how to hold space for ourselves and others with grace. 🎙️✨

    49 min

  7. May 1

    Belonging Episode 7 - Anita Enyonam Kwaku (Naa Busuafi)

    When Law Erases Culture: What Ghana’s Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill Threatens In this week's episode of Belonging: Gender, Sex and Spirituality, we had the privilege of speaking with a Ghanaian traditional priestess and healer whose story has stayed with me. Her words challenge one of the most persistent—and harmful—claims shaping current debates in Ghana: that queerness is “un-African.” It is not. Within many indigenous spiritual traditions, gender and sexuality have long been understood as fluid, relational, and deeply connected to the spiritual world. As she explained, spiritual embodiment can include same-sex intimacy, gender variance and roles shaped by one’s relationship with a deity. In her words: “It has been like that before Christianity came, before colonization came.” This matters. Because the proposed anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in Ghana is not only about regulating identity—it risks criminalizing indigenous knowledge systems and spiritual practices thatpredate colonial influence. It is important to name this clearly: much of the stigma now directed at LGBTQ+ communities is itself a legacy of colonial-era Christianity, which labeled traditional practices as “evil” and reshaped cultural norms accordingly. Today, that history is being codified into law. And the consequences are real. The communities most at risk include traditional practitioners—many of them women—who already face marginalization, limited access to formal education, and vulnerability to exploitation. As fear grows around the pending bill, so too does the risk of violence, surveillance, and silencing. “If this bill should be passed, we don’t know what will happen… a lot of bad things will be happening to us.” Naa Busuafi told us. At stake is more than policy. At stake is whether a society remembers its own cultural and spiritual complexity—or allows it to be erased. At stake is whether belonging is defined narrowly through law, or more expansively through history, humanity, and relationship. For those of us working in fields like leadership, human rights, healthcare, education, and faith communities - this moment calls for thoughtful engagement. It calls for: Listening to indigenous voices, recognizing the layered impacts of colonial history. Supporting those working on the ground to educate and protect vulnerable communities and perhaps most importantly, it calls for humility. Because sometimes the most important thing we can do is not to speak for others—but to ensure that their voices are heard. #Belonging #HumanRights #Leadership #Inclusion #Africa #LGBTQ #CulturalHeritage

    37 min

  8. May 1

    Belonging Episode 7 - Anita Enyonam Kwaku (Naa Busuafi)

    When Law Erases Culture: What Ghana’s Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill Threatens In this week's episode of Belonging: Gender, Sex and Spirituality, we had the privilege of speaking with a Ghanaian traditional priestess and healer whose story has stayed with me. Her words challenge one of the most persistent—and harmful—claims shaping current debates in Ghana: that queerness is “un-African.” It is not. Within many indigenous spiritual traditions, gender and sexuality have long been understood as fluid, relational, and deeply connected to the spiritual world. As she explained, spiritual embodiment can include same-sex intimacy, gender variance and roles shaped by one’s relationship with a deity. In her words: “It has been like that before Christianity came, before colonization came.” This matters. Because the proposed anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in Ghana is not only about regulating identity—it risks criminalizing indigenous knowledge systems and spiritual practices thatpredate colonial influence. It is important to name this clearly: much of the stigma now directed at LGBTQ+ communities is itself a legacy of colonial-era Christianity, which labeled traditional practices as “evil” and reshaped cultural norms accordingly. Today, that history is being codified into law. And the consequences are real. The communities most at risk include traditional practitioners—many of them women—who already face marginalization, limited access to formal education, and vulnerability to exploitation. As fear grows around the pending bill, so too does the risk of violence, surveillance, and silencing. “If this bill should be passed, we don’t know what will happen… a lot of bad things will be happening to us.” Naa Busuafi told us. At stake is more than policy. At stake is whether a society remembers its own cultural and spiritual complexity—or allows it to be erased. At stake is whether belonging is defined narrowly through law, or more expansively through history, humanity, and relationship. For those of us working in fields like leadership, human rights, healthcare, education, and faith communities - this moment calls for thoughtful engagement. It calls for: Listening to indigenous voices, recognizing the layered impacts of colonial history. Supporting those working on the ground to educate and protect vulnerable communities and perhaps most importantly, it calls for humility. Because sometimes the most important thing we can do is not to speak for others—but to ensure that their voices are heard. #Belonging #HumanRights #Leadership #Inclusion #Africa #LGBTQ #CulturalHeritage

    37 min
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Belonging: Gender, Sex and Spirituality is a global podcast exploring how gender identity, sexuality, faith, and spirituality intersect across cultures, religions, and lived experience.

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