As the new post-pandemic normal settles in and people adapt to a context of uncertainty, constant adversities, and pessimism, we are moving away from a moment in which consumers expected brands to rise up to society's challenges and into one when they’re demanding genuine allyship from businesses.

Sexual pleasures of all forms, from kink to polyamory, are becoming mainstream. But despite this openness, sexual health for many women remains a thorny issue, with ads about breast cancer and menstruation still being banned. How are brands navigating these complexities around sex?

In the face of anti-sex-work and anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation, alternative social platform Switter is shutting up shop. With critics calling the legislation nebulous and harmful to vulnerable sex workers, the demand for a more nuanced approach to safeguarding online spaces is growing.

The psychological and mental benefits of knowing more about our bodies have grown alongside greater inclusivity in sextech. Kama, a sex education app with the motto ‘pleasure is health’, uses illustration and gender-neutral language to improve education in the sex industry.

Instagram has been criticised for applying different rules around nudity to different body types after comedian Celeste Barber’s parody photo was censored, while the original image of a thin model was not. It's the latest incident to prompt accusations that its algorithm is discriminatory.