Sex educator Sue Johanson 'broke all the rules — and it was fabulous,' says daughter

Millions of people got a thorough sex education from Sue Johanson — but there's at least one woman who says she simply couldn't bear getting sex advice from the famous TV host.

"Did not want to hear any of that from my mom. Stay away, ears covered, running from the room, could not handle my mom talking about that subject. Absolutely not," Jane Johanson said with a laugh during an interview with As It Happens host Nil Köksal.

"I didn't care who she was. I was like, 'Ew, gross.'"

Sue Johanson — a Canadian nurse who doled out frank, but funny, sex advice for years on the TV programs Sunday Night Sex Show and Talk Sex With Sue Johanson — has died at the age of 93.

And despite any personal reservations she may have had, Jane says she could not be prouder of the work her mother did. Here is part of her conversation Köksal on CBC Radio.

What was it about your mother that clicked with so many people around the world? 

I think first and foremost, it was her sense of humour. It's the fact that she knew sex was a topic that made lots of people uncomfortable or cringe or not want to discuss or shut down. And she knew that if she used humour, antics — you know, jumping around the stage, stretching condoms, being light about it — she knew that she could break the ice and then make people comfortable. 

As soon as she made people comfortable, then she could get into the real nitty gritty of the topic, the subject or the questions that needed to be answered. 

There was no judgment. Even when people called in with very intricate situations, there was never any judgment.

She was very clear about being honest and candid with people. 

I loved the fact that, at times, she would say, "I'm sorry, I can't answer that question; I'm not a doctor, but I'm writing it down and I will reveal that answer on my next show."

Or if she felt she was being taken for a ride — someone was just trying to get a kick on, see if they could get a reaction out of Sue with something that was pretty over the top — she never wavered. She was just so solid in her delivery. 

She opened a birth control clinic in 1970 at Don Mills Collegiate [in Toronto], if I'm not mistaken. What was that like for you?

Well, it was crazy because my sister and I were going to Earl Haig [Secondary School] up in North York, and that was our rival school. And then Monday nights, Carol and I would go down to the Don Mills birth control clinic and we would alternate being, you know, the receptionist working my mom's birth control clinic, where everybody worked for free until we got public funding. 

So she was a groundbreaker, pioneer, trooper. And she broke all the rules — and it was fabulous. 

You're clearly so proud of her and her legacy. But was it ever difficult? I mean, were people coming up to you in the street at the height of her popularity?

All the time. 

There would be times when we were rushing to go see a movie or to go to dinner, and people would want to stop and grab her and talk to her. And mom was always amenable to it. Always. She just never brushed anybody aside or stopped anyone from interfering with her day-to-day journey. She would have pictures taken at the Speedy Muffler and sign autographs in a Swiss Chalet. 

And it didn't matter who you were, what your sexual preference was, how you identified, what you might be dealing with in terms of the time of AIDS — like, she embraced everybody and who they were. And that just ... made me so proud. We are so proud of our dear Sue, my mom.

I've been thinking all day, if there was an episode tonight, you know, given what's happened with Roe v. Wade and what's happening in the United States, but also, you know, talking about what's taught in schools — how sex, gender and sexuality are talked about in schools — what would she say? 

I think she would just shake her head in such sadness. We did talk about what was going on in the States about abortion and she just let out a big sigh of, ugh, defeat. My mom was never pro-abortion, but she wanted women to have a choice.

As she got older, things really started to change in sex and sexuality and education. But I know she would feel like we were taking so many steps backwards, and that is so disheartening. And I'm glad she doesn't have to see that anymore. 

WATCH | How Sue Johanson became the country's leading sexpert: 

As It Happens6:19Sue Johanson's daughter: 'She broke all the rules — and it was fabulous'

She educated people not just in sex, but also about pleasure, which is really important. And we've seen more people become comfortable speaking about that now. What would you like young people who are listening — or maybe parents, as well — to take away from what your mom taught people? 

If there's honest talking, if there's laughter, if there's using your voice — no is no, yes is yes — and finding pleasure in each other … it doesn't matter what it is, or with who, or how, as long as there's mutual consent and humour and using our voices.

That was so important to mom. Especially the humour part. She said: If you can laugh during, after, before [and] around sex, then it will just make it that much better. 

Well, Jane, you've had to share your mother with all of us for a very long time. Thank you for making time for us and sharing a bit more about her with us. I'm very sorry for your loss.

I'm so happy that Sue helped out so many people, and I couldn't be prouder. And yes, I'm honoured that Sue was my mom.