An Indonesian Influencer Offered to ‘Auction Off’ Her Virginity for Coronavirus Relief

The coronavirus pandemic has been a pretty strange time for all of us, and perhaps especially so for social media influencers. Some are threatened by the loss of income, others are adjusting to content creation in quarantine, and at least one has licked a toilet for TikTok fame.

But this stunt might be the strangest one yet.

On Wednesday, May 20, a social media personality in Indonesia, appeared to auction off her virginity for coronavirus relief. Sarah Salsabila, better known as Sarah Keihl, did this over Instagram, where she now has over 332,000 followers.

The virginity auction, announced through an Instagram video, was set to begin on Wednesday night. The starting price was Rp2 billion ($134,630), Daily Star reported.

It was a “pretty tough decision,” Sarah said in the video, but shared that she was motivated to go ahead with the auction in order to raise funds for people who have been affected by COVID-19.

Shortly after, she was blasted by netizens who just couldn't wrap their heads around her announcement.

While her controversial video was taken down amid public backlash, it has been reposted on Instagram by tabloid page Lambe Turah.

Sarah later clarified in an Instagram post that she was merely being satirical and taking the piss out of people who were disregarding the coronavirus pandemic.

“I’m sorry for creating the controversy. In truth, the virginity auction was my idea of satire of those who aren’t sensitive to the situation,” her lengthy post reads.

She added that she would be donating “1,000 grocery aids” out of her pocket.

“That money is halal, I have never sold myself or my dignity,” she said.