Sue Johanson Obituary: Canadian Sex Educator Sue Johanson’s Death Cause Revealed
Sue Johanson Obituary: Sue Johanson, a pioneer of sex education in Canada and a popular television host, passed away on Thursday, June 29, 2023, at the age of 93. She died in a long-term care facility in Ontario, surrounded by her family. The cause of her death has not been disclosed.
Sue Johanson’s Early Life, and Career
Sue Johanson was born on March 16, 1930, in Toronto. She became a registered nurse in 1952 and worked in various fields, including maternity, pediatrics and public health. She also obtained a degree in sociology from the University of Toronto in 1972.
Johanson began her career as a sex educator in 1970, when she started teaching a course on human sexuality at a local high school. She soon realized that there was a lack of accurate and accessible information on sex and sexuality for young people and adults alike.
She decided to fill this gap by launching the Sunday Night Sex Show, a radio program that aired from 1984 to 1998. The show featured Johanson answering callers’ questions on various topics related to sex, from anatomy and contraception to fetishes and fantasies. She was known for her humorous and frank approach, as well as her trademark phrase “use it or lose it”.
The show became a hit and was adapted into a television series in 1996. It was broadcasted on various networks in Canada and the United States, including W Network, Oxygen, and G4. The show was renamed Talk Sex with Sue Johanson in 2002 and ran until 2008.
Johanson also wrote several books on sex education, such as Sex Is Perfectly Natural but Not Naturally Perfect (1996), Sex, Sex, and More Sex (2004) and Talk Sex Today (2016). She also appeared on several talk shows, such as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O’Brien.
Johanson received numerous awards and honors for her work, such as the Order of Canada (2001), the Canadian Association of Broadcasters’ Gold Ribbon Award (2003), and the Canadian Women’s Health Network’s Lifetime Achievement Award (2010). She was also inducted into the Canadian Broadcast Hall of Fame (2008) and the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame (2011).
Sue Johanson Obituary – A Legacy of Empowerment
Johanson was widely admired and respected for her contributions to sex education and public health. She was praised for breaking taboos and stereotypes about sex and sexuality, especially for women and older adults. She was also credited for promoting sexual health, pleasure, and diversity.
She inspired many people to embrace their sexuality and to seek help when needed. She also influenced many other sex educators and media personalities who followed in her footsteps.
Johanson is survived by her husband of 70 years, Ejnor Johanson, her three children, seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. She also leaves behind millions of fans and admirers who will miss her wisdom and wit.
Facts about Sue Johanson
- She was born Susan Powell in Toronto on March 16, 1930.
- She married Ejnor Johanson, a Swedish engineer, in 1953. They met at a dance hall in Toronto.
- She had three children: Eric, Anne and Jane.
- She became interested in sex education after reading The Kinsey Report (1948) and Masters and Johnson’s Human Sexual Response (1966).
- She started teaching sex education at Don Mills Collegiate Institute in Toronto in 1970.
- She launched the Sunday Night Sex Show on CFNY-FM radio in 1984. The show was initially called Sex with Sue.
- She wrote six books on sex education: Sex: A Natural History (1989), Sex Is Perfectly Natural but Not Naturally Perfect (1996), Sue Johanson’s Sex Bible (2002), Sex, Sex, and More Sex (2004), Talk Sex Today (2016) and Sex with Sue: The Ultimate Guide to Sexual Pleasure (2019).
- She hosted Talk Sex with Sue Johanson on Oxygen from 2002 to 2008. The show was syndicated to more than 20 countries.
- She retired from broadcasting in 2008 at the age of 78.
- She starred in a documentary film called Sex with Sue (2022), directed by Lisa Rideout.
- She died on June 29, 2023, at the age of 93.
The following table shows some of the awards and honors that Sue Johanson received:
| Year | Award/Honor | Organization |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Order of Canada | Governor General of Canada |
| 2003 | Gold Ribbon Award | Canadian Association of Broadcasters |
| 2008 | Canadian Broadcast Hall of Fame | Canadian Association of Broadcasters |
| 2011 | Canadian Medical Hall of Fame | Canadian Medical Association |
| 2012 | Honorary Doctorate of Laws | University of Toronto |
| 2014 | Lifetime Achievement Award | Sexuality and U |
| 2016 | Honorary Doctorate of Science | McMaster University |
| 2018 | Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters | York University |
| 2020 | Honorary Doctorate of Education | Ryerson University |
Sue Johanson was a remarkable woman who changed the way we talk about sex and sexuality. She was a pioneer, a teacher, a mentor and a friend. She will be remembered as a national treasure and a global icon.
