Indonesia's Only Female Sex Therapist Goes Online

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com — Zoya Amirin has come across every myth imaginable in her job as sex psychologist in Indonesia: An uncircumcised girl will become sex-crazed. Clove cigarettes increase virility. A gecko's saliva can cure AIDS.

Knowing such misinformation can ruin relationships and even lives, Amirin — the only woman certified in her field in the world's most populous Muslim nation — has decided to launch a weekly podcast to provide some frank, accurate talk about the bedroom.

Her 15-minute, debut episode of "In Bed with Zoya" will air on her website Thursday.

"People here really believe in myths ... that's my biggest challenge," said Amirin, adding she wants to make her show as cool as possible so people will tune in without feeling they're being talked down to.

"It's time to embrace our sexuality in a healthy way," she said, "and to be mature in our understanding."

Her job illustrates some of the changes taking place in Indonesia, which toppled its longtime dictator Gen. Suharto in a wave of pro-democracy street protests just over a decade ago.

The nation of 240 million remains socially conservative in most areas, including relationships, something old-style politicians are desperate to maintain. Yet these customs are coming under pressure from a more freewheeling approach to sex, in part due to increased wealth and more females living and working alone before marriage.

Nearly 40 percent of teens have had sex, a new survey shows, and the Internet has opened the gates to a subject long considered off-limits in public schools. Bringing up the word "condom" could cost a teacher his job.

"The taboo is not against sex, but against making it public and formal," said Julia Suryakusuma, an Indonesian sociologist who often writes about human sexuality.

That point was hammered home by Education Minister Muhammad Nuh himself, after a video of a much-loved pop star having sex with two girlfriends made its way to YouTube, putting the country of the verge of sexual hysteria.