Private Parts Unknown: Sex & Love Around the World

For the 78th episode of Private Parts Unknown, hosts Courtney Kocak and Sofiya Alexandra are sending a love letter to Sofiya’s homeland: Ukraine — more specifically Odessa, the pearl of the Black Sea.

Sofiya grew up in Odessa, Ukraine, before immigrating to the U.S. in 1994, when she was in middle school. Now, in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Sofiya revisits the place she first called home, sharing her favorite memories and cultural touchstones, why it's Ukraine instead of "the Ukraine" (which undermines the country's sovereignty), how this war has made us realize our neglect of other conflict zones, and more. This episode was inspired by Sofiya's viral Twitter thread, which struck a chord with folks eager to learn more about Ukraine during this harrowing time.

We’re up for some Podca$h funding for the show, and, in addition to paying our team, we want to take a trip to Antarctica for a bucket list series about love and sexuality on the South Pole. Please write us a short love letter (just a sentence or two would be perfect!) letting them know what you love about our show. Please don’t hold back on the compliments! The deadline is Friday, March 4th. Here’s the link: https://www.podcash.com/love-letters/pLRE6

Private Parts Unknown is a proud member of the Pleasure Podcast network. This episode is brought to you by:

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If you love this episode, please leave us a 5-star rating and sexy review! —> ratethispodcast.com/private

Psst... sign up for our Private Parts Unknown newsletter for bonus content related to our episodes! privatepartsunknown.substack.com

Let’s be friends on social media! Follow the show on Instagram @privatepartsunknown and Twitter @privatepartsun. Connect with hosts Courtney Kocak @courtneykocak and Sofiya @thesofiya on Instagram and Twitter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the 81st episode of Private Parts Unknown, hosts Courtney Kocak and Sofiya Alexandra welcome Ghanaian feminist writer and blogger Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah to discuss her new book: The Sex Lives of African Women. She also co-founded the award-winning blog Adventures from the Bedrooms of African Women.

Nana interviewed over 30 women from the continent of Africa and the diaspora for the book, and they came from a wide variety of identities and lifestyles. In this episode, we hear stories from polygamist, trans, sex worker perspectives — in addition to a woman who went through FGM (female genital mutation) and still has pleasurable sexual experiences. Nana also explains why she identifies as a pan-Africanist. This episode is guaranteed to expand your mind and teach you something new!

For more from today's guest:

• Buy Nana’s book The Sex Lives of African Women on Bookshop
• Check out Nana’s website darkoathewriter.com
• Follow Nana on Twitter @nas009
• Follow Nana on Instagram @dfordarkoa

Private Parts Unknown is a proud member of the Pleasure Podcast network. This episode is brought to you by:

• Like A Kitten is offering our listeners 20% off AND free shipping when you go to LikeAKitten.com/Private OR enter code Private at checkout.
• Beducated is like the Netflix of Sexual Wellness! They are an online course platform with easy-to-follow video, audio, and written guides. You can join Beducated for as little as $9.99 per month when you use our code, PRIVATE. That’s 65% off when you use our coupon code PRIVATE at Beducated.com. http://beducate.me/private
• Dipsea is an audio erotica app full of short, sexy stories and guided sessions designed to turn you on. Dipsea is offering a 30-day free trial when you go to dipseastories.com/private.
• https://linktr.ee/PrivatePartsUnknownAds

If you love this episode, please leave us a 5-star rating and sexy review! —> ratethispodcast.com/private

Psst... sign up for our Private Parts Unknown newsletter for bonus content related to our episodes! privatepartsunknown.substack.com

Let’s be friends on social media! Follow the show on Instagram @privatepartsunknown and Twitter @privatepartsun. Connect with hosts Courtney Kocak @courtneykocak and Sofiya @thesofiya on Instagram and Twitter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the 74th episode of Private Parts Unknown, hosts Courtney Kocak and Sofiya Alexandra wade deeper into our series about the modern psychedelic renaissance as a new wave of decriminalization, legalization, and corporatization has begun to swell in the United States.

For the 2nd episode of our Mind Trip series, Courtney and Sofiya discuss the cultural origin of ayahuasca and how the psychoactive brew is made. Then, Courtney interviews a friend about his first experience participating in an ayahuasca ceremony, the importance of having an intention going into it, and what it’s been like integrating what he’s learned in the months after.

Check out this playlist of the whole Mind Trip series.

Private Parts Unknown is a proud member of the Pleasure Podcast network. This episode is brought to you by:

• Good health starts with good habits. quip makes it easy, by delivering all the oral care essentials you need to care for your mouth. If you go to getquip.com/private, you’ll get your first refill FREE.
• Like A Kitten is offering our listeners 20% off AND free shipping when you go to LikeAKitten.com/Private OR enter code Private at checkout.
• https://linktr.ee/PrivatePartsUnknownAds

If you love this episode, please leave us a 5-star rating and sexy review! —> ratethispodcast.com/private

Psst... sign up for our Private Parts Unknown newsletter for bonus content related to our episodes! privatepartsunknown.substack.com

Let’s be friends on social media! Follow the show on Instagram @privatepartsunknown and Twitter @privatepartsun. Connect with hosts Courtney Kocak @courtneykocak and Sofiya @thesofiya on Instagram and Twitter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the 80th episode of Private Parts Unknown, hosts Courtney Kocak and Sofiya Alexandra are joined by Ukrainian journalist and radio host turned civilian soldier Yuriy Matsarsky (Юрій Мацарський), currently fighting in a Territorial Defense Unit in Kyiv.

He touches on why he left his life in Moscow, what the daily life of a newly minted civilian soldier’s like, propaganda’s effect on his former journalist colleagues, and the difference between actually helping Ukraine and just performing (hint: turns out Facebook statuses are not that helpful, wow who knew). Plus, excerpts from his frontline podcast Fighting for Ukraine and poignant stories of Ukrainians banding together to resist Russia’s invasion (one includes soup!).

Слава Україні! Героям cлава! Cмерть ворогам!

For more from today's guest:

• Check out Yuriy’s new podcast Fighting for Ukraine fightingforukraine.podbean.com
• Help Ukrainian refugees through Nova Ukraine novaukraine.org

Private Parts Unknown is a proud member of the Pleasure Podcast network. This episode is brought to you by:

• Like A Kitten is offering our listeners 20% off AND free shipping when you go to LikeAKitten.com/Private OR enter code Private at checkout.
• Dipsea is an audio erotica app full of short, sexy stories and guided sessions designed to turn you on. Dipsea is offering a 30-day free trial when you go to dipseastories.com/private.
• Original Boner Gel is the most advanced, luxury skincare product for men, specifically targeting your skincare needs below-the-belt. Original Boner Gel is offering our listeners 20% off your order when you go to originalbonergel.com and enter code PRIVATE at checkout.
• https://linktr.ee/PrivatePartsUnknownAds

If you love this episode, please leave us a 5-star rating and sexy review! —> ratethispodcast.com/private

Psst... sign up for our Private Parts Unknown newsletter for bonus content related to our episodes! privatepartsunknown.substack.com

Let’s be friends on social media! Follow the show on Instagram @privatepartsunknown and Twitter @privatepartsun. Connect with hosts Courtney Kocak @courtneykocak and Sofiya @thesofiya on Instagram and Twitter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the 173rd episode of Private Parts Unknown, host Courtney Kocak welcomes Emma Koenig, the author & editor of Moan: Anonymous Essays on Female Orgasm.

Emma shares how her popular Tumblr, How to Make Me Come, evolved into a powerful book that explores the diverse and often misunderstood experiences of female pleasure. We discuss how sexuality is shamed and stigmatized, the need for better sex education, and the importance of open communication in the bedroom. Emma also offers insights on how partners can engage in honest dialogues about sexual needs and preferences. (This episode also features former co-hosts Sofiya Alexandra and Dave Rankin.)

For more from today's guest, Emma Koenig:

• Follow Emma on Twitter/X @emjuko
• Follow Emma on Instagram @emjuko
• Buy Emma's book Moan: Anonymous Essays on Female Orgasm

Psst, Courtney has an 0nIyFan$, which is a horny way to support the show: https://linktr.ee/cocopeepshow

Courtney is also teaching the writing and publishing intensive of your dreams this November. It's called November Newsletter & Pitch Party Extravaganza and will definitely take your writing practice and career to the next level. To join the fun, head to courtneykocak.com/teaching and use code PRIVATE for $100 off.

Private Parts Unknown is a proud member of the Pleasure Podcast network. This episode is brought to you by:

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If you love this episode, please leave us a 5-star rating and sexy review! —> ratethispodcast.com/private

Psst... sign up for our Private Parts Unknown newsletter for bonus content related to our episodes! privatepartsunknown.substack.com

Let’s be friends on social media! Follow the show on Instagram @privatepartsunknown and Twitter @privatepartsun. Connect with host Courtney Kocak @courtneykocak on Instagram and Twitter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices