A brave group of digital activists in Turkey is using social media and podcasts to battle conservative taboos about sexuality. At a time when TV shows are fined for even hinting at sex between characters and women are often harassed in the streets for wearing shorts, these trailblazers use Instagram and Spotify to discuss everything from the orgasm gap to masturbation.

This digital activism shows that when conservative governments try to shut down the conversation on sexuality, citizens will find new ways to gather and speak openly about their lives and desires.

In Turkey, the situation for women often feels grim. According to UN data, 38% of women in Turkey experience physical and/or sexual violence at some point in their lifetimes. In 2020 alone, at least 409 women were killed by men. Despite this epidemic of femicide and widespread gender inequality, the Turkish government on July 1 officially withdrew from the Istanbul Convention, known formally as the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence.

In this context of rising conservatism and increasing threats to women’s safety, many are finding refuge in social media and podcasts.