Sue Johanson
Sex expert Sue Johanson has launched her own range of skin-safe silicone sex toys. Now available in the UK at LoveHoney!
Sue Johanson is Canada's foremost sexual educator and counsellor. For the last 30 years, she has provided frank and honest sexual education to thousands of Canadians through her lectures, radio programs, and the "Sunday Night Sex Show" on national television. Currently, she offers expert sex advice on the weekly, live "Talk Sex With Sue Johanson", which airs in the U.S. and 22 other countries. In 2001, Sue was awarded the Order of Canada - the equivalent of being knighted - for her lifetime of service to the country.
Photo credit: David Leyes
LoveHoney caught up with Sue to find out what inspired the new Sue Johanson sex toy range.
How have sex toys changed since you started broadcasting and offering sex advice?
"The variety of toys has changed immensely, with different materials and brighter colours, but I think the biggest change is in the public attitude towards sex toys. You used to have to go some seedy store with sticky floors in a dangerous part of town to buy a vibrator, and then leave with it in a brown, paper bag stuffed under your trench-coat! Not now. Adult stores are now nice and bright, with knowledgeable staff, and you don't feel like you need a shower after you've been there. Plus you can order products online. Very discreet, and I say any type of shopping you can do in your underwear is fine by me!
How did you decide what products to have in your range?
"Over the years on our show, Talk Sex, we have seen and reviewed hundreds of sex toys. Most of them are crap. So, we decided that we wanted to do a line that appealed to women mostly, and to use quality materials – silicone – and have packaging that wasn't offensive. We'd seen enough of 'Betty Big-Boobs' over the years, and that style of packaging is aimed at men. The toys are based on prototypes from the manufacturer that we modify, or else ideas we come up with ourselves. The Mini-Mole was created by our TV director and it's one of our most popular toys.
What is it that you think people will like about them?
"They're waterproof – that's important for cleaning – the colours are cheery; they're silicone - not plastic – and the packaging is not offensive. The battery pack pops out on most of them, and this makes changing batteries so much easier. I was forever breaking fingernails on that task! And the price range is good – not too cheap, and not too expensive."
What advice would you give to someone who's never bought or used a sex toy?
"SUE: Start cheap! I am notoriously cheap, and encourage others to do the same. If you've never owned a sex toy, buy an inexpensive little vibrator, not a big luxury one. Sure, it won't last forever, but it will give you some idea of whether or not you like toys, and what you might prefer when you are ready to upgrade."
What's the best sex toy in your range to start with?
"Tough to choose, but I'd say that, for women, the Royal G is a good starter. Females are always in pursuit of the elusive G-spot, and the curve in this toy is designed to help them find it! For guys, or anyone interested in anal stimulation, the Mini-Mole is great. It's totally flexible – very important for anal – not too big, and the vibrating egg pops out so the whole thing is easy to clean. Since it's silicone, you can even run it through the dishwasher, but I wouldn't recommend this if the kids are putting the dishes away!
What's the most common question that you get from women?
"'Where's the G-spot?' I'm so tired of answering that that I won't bother here either. Here's a clue: It's in the front wall of the vagina. Happy hunting!"
What's the most common question that you get from men?
"'How can I make my penis bigger?' Guys, get over it! The average erect penis is 5 to 7 inches, so if you fall into that range, then be happy with what you've got. If you need more, the only guaranteed way is surgery. You will only get another inch, not to mention a long recovery period and a very big medical bill. You don't need 10 inches to have a good time. Learn how to use your tool properly, and quit whinging.
What are the most surprising questions that you've ever had to answer?
"If you mean ones that shocked me, there aren't many. My job is to present information, not render moral judgments. If something offends me – such as a caller cheating on his or her spouse – I will point out the dangers of that behaviour on air, but reserve my more critical remarks for after the show. Talk Sex is more like a database than a clucking hen's club. People want information about sex; we provide it. How they use that information is up to them and their own codes of morality and behaviour. In other words, we treat adults like adults, not like school-children who need to be scolded.
But, I will give you one story that made me laugh. A young guy called in who was using an absolutely unique device for masturbation – he would stick his penis into a full jar of peanut butter, and pump away. Who knew? I told him it was fine as long as he didn't put the jar back in the cupboard when he was done!
