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| Sue Johanson spoke at Dalhousie's Ondaatje Hall. (Josh Boyter Photo) |
Sue Johanson has found a new place for her Beanie Babies: the nightstand drawer.
“You are sexual human beings!” exclaims Canada’s foremost sexual educator and counsellor, this evident by the massive crowds she draws wherever she goes to hear about boners, backdoors and now evidently Beanie Babies. She spoke to Dalhousie students recently at a DSU-sponsored event held at Ondaatje Hall.
While explaining everything from sexual urges as infants, to exploration during puberty, firsts with tampons, digital and oral stimulation, and of course, intercourse, Canada’s icon of sexual health thrusts, shakes, and salutes like an erect penis in the morning.
The tiny, white-haired 78-year-old woman looks like she could be your grandmother, but the distinguished recipient of the Order of Canada has just explained the mechanics of doing it doggy style, “Fido and Fifi,” she calls it. Maybe a topic to bring up with Gram next time you visit? Sue would advise this. Her overarching message about sex is, “Talk about it!”
“Talking about sex is harder than doing it,” she asserts. While arousing the crowd with matter-of-fact comments, she alludes to some much deeper issues than vaginal queefs or “the head honcho.” She strikes on the fact that most parents and educators have problems talking to children and youth about sex, real sex, not just the biological explanations of reproductive systems we were so perfunctorily taught about in ninth grade. The consequences of this go beyond sexual health issues like sexually transmitted infections, pregnancy, birth control, and plague people’s relationships their entire lives.
Ms. Johanson highlighted the fact that women are rarely are encouraged to explore their own sexuality as opposed to men, who she seemed to imply, spend their entire lives masturbating. “Most females have not taken a good look at their genitals.”
She advocates for realistic sex which may not include “shrieking orgasms” every time but sexual encounters that include dialogue, exploration, trust, mutual respect and fantasy.
But first things first. “Get to know your own body before someone else gets to know it,” she says.
Ms. Johanson has a website where information can be found on sex, sexuality and sexual health.