Sue Johanson

Early life and nursing career

Sue Johanson was born Susan Avis Bailey Powell in Toronto, Ontario, in 1930. Her father was a decorated First World War veteran who served in the Royal Flying Corps and later the Royal Air Force, while her mother came from an affluent Irish Protestant family in Ontario. Johanson's mother died when she was ten years old, after which she was largely raised by an aunt. She completed high school in Kenora, Ontario, before moving to Winnipeg to pursue nursing. Johanson studied at St. Boniface Hospital under the direction of nuns, graduating as a registered nurse. She later recounted that her nursing education included the teaching that sexual intercourse was solely for procreation within marriage.

Shortly after graduating, she married Swedish-Canadian electrician Ejnor Karl Johanson in 1953. The couple had three children, Carol, Eric, and Jane, born at ten-month intervals. In the 1950s, the family moved to North York, a suburb of Toronto, to manage real estate holdings belonging to Johanson's aunt. During this period, Johanson was a homemaker raising her young family. A crucial moment in her life came when she helped a neighbourhood teenager deal with an unexpected pregnancy and an illegal abortion. This experience solidified her conviction that young people needed confidential access to birth control and sexual health information, setting the course for her future career.

Pioneering clinic and sex education work

In 1970, just one year after birth control became legal in Canada, Johanson opened a birth control clinic at Don Mills Collegiate Institute, the Toronto high school her daughter attended. This clinic was among the first of its kind in the country and she served as its coordinator for 18 years. Johanson was motivated by the alarming rates of unprotected sex among teenagers and a lack of accessible services. She believed that education was essential to prevent unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. The clinic operated on the principle that young people who were sexually active without parental knowledge should still be able to obtain contraception and advice confidentially.

Johanson frequently faced calls from upset parents who discovered their children were using birth control. She would explain that while parents might be distressed about their child's sexual activity, the act of seeking protection demonstrated maturity and responsibility. She reported that parents often responded well to this perspective. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Johanson expanded her work beyond the clinic, travelling across Ontario and Canada to deliver sex education workshops in schools. She continued her own education during this time, taking courses in counselling, family planning, and human sexuality at institutions including the Toronto Institute of Human Relations, the University of Toronto, and the University of Michigan, which formalized her expertise as a counsellor and sex educator.

Broadcasting career and national profile

Johanson's broadcasting career began in 1984 when she launched the Sunday Night Sex Show on Toronto's rock radio station Q107. The program was a call-in show where she offered frank, often humorous advice on sexual health. Its popularity led to a television version, Talking Sex with Sue, which debuted on Rogers community television in Toronto in 1985. Johanson hosted both the radio and television programs concurrently, becoming a well-known figure for her direct, sex-positive approach and her distinctive appearance featuring curly grey hair and wire-rimmed glasses. Her shows addressed topics often ignored by mainstream education, including fetishes, gay sex, and the use of sex toys, which she would demonstrate on air.

In 1996, the television version of the Sunday Night Sex Show went national on the Women's Television Network (WTN), where it aired until 2005. The American cable network Oxygen began airing reruns of the Canadian show in January 2002. Due to its popularity and American viewers' desire to participate, a new version tailored for U.S. audiences, Talk Sex with Sue Johanson, debuted on Oxygen in November 2002. This program ran for six seasons, producing 174 episodes, and was broadcast in 23 countries, giving Johanson an international audience. Her programs regularly received over 100,000 questions from the public, though typically only about a dozen were addressed on each episode.

Johanson made appearances on the Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and Late Night with Conan O'Brien. In a 2006 appearance on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, she humorously discussed male anxieties about penis size. This left guest Ray Romano visibly uncomfortable. Her media work established her as North America's most famous sexpert. Her reach extended far beyond her initial clinic work.

Publications and other media

Beyond broadcasting, Johanson was a prolific author and columnist. She wrote a weekly advice column on sexual health for the Toronto Star newspaper. She also authored three books that compiled her expertise and straightforward advice for a wider audience. Her written work complemented her on-air persona, providing reliable information in an accessible format. These publications allowed her to reach readers who might not have encountered her radio or television programs, and they served as lasting reference guides on sexual health topics.

Johanson appeared in two episodes of Degrassi Junior High and two episodes of Degrassi: The Next Generation. She played Dr. Sally, a radio host and sex educator who served as an in-universe version of Johanson. A full-length documentary about Johanson was released in 2022. Entitled Sex with Sue, the documentary chronicles Johanson's life story. It was directed by Canadian documentary filmmaker Lisa Rideout.

Awards and recognition

Johanson's groundbreaking work in sexual health education earned her significant national recognition. In 2001, she was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada (CM), the country's second-highest civilian honour, for her contributions to public education on birth control and sexual health. This honour highlighted her role in destigmatizing conversations about sexuality and providing vital information to Canadians. In 2010, she received the Bonham Centre Award from the University of Toronto's Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies. This award recognized her significant contributions to the advancement and education of issues around sexual identification and her inclusive approach to sex education for all demographics, cementing her status as a respected educator in the field.

Later life and death

Johanson remained active in her field well into her later years, continuing to offer her signature frank advice. Her U.S. television program, Talk Sex with Sue Johanson, concluded its run in May 2008 after six seasons. The documentary Sex with Sue, released in 2022, offered a comprehensive look at her life and enduring influence. Sue Johanson died on June 28, 2023, at a long-term care home in Thornhill, Ontario, just one day before her 93rd birthday. Her death was confirmed by documentary director Lisa Rideout, who paid tribute to Johanson as an incredible, unstoppable force who paved the way for modern conversations about sexuality. Tributes from public figures, including sex advice columnist Dan Savage, and from countless Canadians highlighted her significant and positive impact on generations, with many sharing personal stories of how her advice had helped them handle relationships and health.

Television and radio programming

Johanson first achieved popularity as a sex educator hosting her own show on rock radio station Q107 during the 1980s. The show, entitled Sunday Night Sex Show, transitioned into a TV talk show on Rogers TV in 1985. In 1996, it became a national show on the Women's Television Network which ended in 2005. In November 2002, the U.S. version of Sunday Night Sex Show, called Talk Sex with Sue Johanson, debuted on Oxygen. This program ran for six seasons, ending in 2008, and was broadcast in 23 countries.

Through these radio and television programs, Johanson was able to address a vast array of sexual health questions. She broke down taboos and provided practical guidance. Her programs regularly fielded many questions from the public. She was venerated as a forthright educator who filled voids left by the absence of sex education curricula.

Questions about Sue Johanson

What was Sue Johanson best known for?

Sue Johanson was best known as a pioneering Canadian sex educator and broadcaster. She hosted the long-running Sunday Night Sex Show on radio and television in Canada and the American program Talk Sex with Sue Johanson. Her frank, humorous, and non-judgmental approach to discussing sexual health, contraception, and relationships made her a trusted figure for generations of teenagers and adults. She was also renowned for opening one of Canada's first birth control clinics in a Toronto high school in 1970, which she ran for 18 years.

What awards did Sue Johanson receive?

Sue Johanson received two major awards for her work. In 2001, she was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada (CM), one of the country's highest civilian honours, for her contributions to sexual health education. In 2010, she was presented with the Bonham Centre Award from the University of Toronto's Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies. This award recognized her efforts in advancing education and awareness around issues of sexual identification and diversity through her inclusive and informative work.

What was the name of the documentary about Sue Johanson?

The documentary about Sue Johanson was titled Sex with Sue. It was released in 2022 and directed by Canadian documentary filmmaker Lisa Rideout. The film chronicled Johanson's life story, from her early career as a nurse and clinic founder to her rise as a beloved broadcaster and sex education figure. The documentary provided an in-depth look at her impact on how sexuality is discussed in public and private life, featuring interviews and archival material that detailed her unique character and mission.

What was significant about the birth control clinic Johanson opened?

The birth control clinic Sue Johanson opened at Don Mills Collegiate Institute in Toronto in 1970 was significant as one of the first of its kind in Canada. It was established just one year after birth control became legal in the country. Johanson ran the clinic for 18 years, providing confidential access to contraception and advice for teenagers. The clinic operated on her firm belief that young people who were sexually active without parental consent should still have the right to protect themselves, a progressive stance that helped shape sexual health services for youth across the nation.

When and where did Sue Johanson die?

Sue Johanson died on June 28, 2023, in Thornhill, Ontario. Her death was confirmed by Lisa Rideout, the director of the 2022 documentary film Sex with Sue. Johanson was a beloved Canadian sex educator and registered nurse whose pioneering work spanned decades. She was celebrated for her frank and open approach to discussing sexual health, birth control and safer sex.

How many books did Sue Johanson write?

Sue Johanson authored three books on sexual health. Her published works are Talk Sex, Sex Is Perfectly Natural but Not Naturally Perfect, and Sex, Sex, and More Sex. These books extended her educational mission beyond her popular broadcasting career. In addition to her books, she also wrote a weekly column on sexual health for the Toronto Star newspaper. Her written work, like her radio and television programs, was known for its straightforward and informative style.

Sources and further reading

• Sue Johanson (Wikipedia)
• Sue Johanson (thecanadianencyclopedia.ca)
• Inquisitive, beloved Canadian sex educator Sue Johanson ... (theguardian.com)

Checked by the Yadude Books desk. Last updated 2026-10-28.