From nursing to acting: Highlights of sex educator Sue Johanson's career

Sue Johanson, famous for her show"Sunday Night Sex Show" shares a laugh with Governor General Adrienne Clarkson after being invested into the Order of Canada at a ceremony in Ottawa Thursday May 31, 2001. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Tom Hanson

Sue Johanson, who made her name with frank talk about sex on radio and TV, has died at age 93. Here's a look at some of the highlights of her trailblazing career.

STARTED AS A NURSE: Before she gained fame as a sex educator, Johanson was a registered nurse who got her training at St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg. In 1970, she opened a birth control clinic at a Toronto high school and remained its co-ordinator for 16 years.

CROSS-BORDER TV AUDIENCES: In Canada, Johanson hosted the call-in "Sunday Night Sex Show" that aired on W Network from 1996 to 2005. In the United States, "Talk Sex with Sue Johanson" aired on Oxygen TV from 2002 until 2008.

BOOKS: Johanson authored several sex education books over the years, including "Talk Sex," and "Sex, Sex and More Sex."

ACTING GIGS: Johanson appeared in a few episodes of ´ºÉ«Ö±²¥ TV shows Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi: The Next Generation, playing a version of herself as sex educator Dr. Sally.

ORDER OF CANADA: Johanson was awarded the Order of Canada in November 2000, and invested the following year. She was praised for "listening without judgment" and helping ´ºÉ«Ö±²¥s improve their understanding of sexuality and health choices.

This report by ´ºÉ«Ö±²¥was first published June 29, 2023.

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