In this strange time, some doctors and nurses have transcended their key worker roles to become celebrities. Dr. Tirta is one such. Young, and a sneakerhead when he’s not working, his dedication during the Covid-19 crisis has skyrocketed him to stardom.

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Like other doctors the world over, he found himself contesting the advice given by his own government, openly talking about the dangers of the virus and insisting that a lockdown should happen (when the government hadn’t even released any statement on Covid-19, an offence punishable by law). He also challenged other influencers to use their money to help the country instead of continuously showing off their glamorous lifestyles.

Sisil @sisilism

Let's talk about sex. Easy enough in the western world but Indonesia is not the most liberal country when it comes to the subject.

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Sisil has made it her mission in life to shed light on controversial topics to do with sex that Indonesians mostly avoid, from female orgasms to non-monogamous relationships. Drop her a line and she will answer your sex-related questions for free. Prepare yourself for her feed though, it's not for the faint-hearted.

Kai Mata @kaimatamusic

She's gay and she's proud of it. “Now is a time when my country continuously tries to encroach on human rights, enforcing closed-minded, discriminatory laws antithetical to Indonesia’s beautifully diverse culture, and detrimental to the health and wellbeing of us as a nation,” says Kai Mata. “Whether it be legislation banning couples cohabitating before marriage or constituting same-sex relationships as an ‘obscene act’ or ‘deviant sex’ that is punishable by prison, we are in grave need to raise our voices on this.” Her platform is helped by the fact she is a super talented singer whose voice inspires and whose original songs are already Pride anthems. Respect.

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Ucita Pohan @uchiet

Okay, sure, as a radio broadcaster, she gets her share of the limelight. But that's not why she is on this list. She is a confident plus-sized, self-love advocate and an author to boot. Her book, Bicara Tubuh (Body Talk), contains photos of body parts – flawed and imperfect, or not – accompanied by poems and writings dedicated to that part. The perfect response to intolerance and body-shaming.

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