Cultural Icon: Celebrating the Legacy of the Iconic Sex Therapist

Clear Facts

• Dr. Ruth Westheimer, a renowned sex therapist and cultural icon, passed away at her Manhattan home at the age of 96.
• She gained popularity in her 50s as she started hosting a radio show named “Sexually Speaking,” leading to a successful career in television, film, and authoring nearly 40 books on sex education.
• Dr. Ruth had a remarkable life journey, from escaping Nazi Germany as a Jewish refugee to serving as a sniper in the Israeli army, and eventually ushering in a new era of open dialogue about intimacy through her work as a sex therapist.

The world bid farewell to the iconic sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer this past Friday. Known affectionately as “Dr. Ruth,” she departed peacefully at her home in Manhattan, New York, at the age of 96.

Her publicist and co-author, Pierre Lehu, confirmed her death. Although the cause of her demise was not disclosed, it was reported that she was surrounded by family members at the time.

Dr. Ruth, originally from Germany, lost her parents to the Holocaust. Her rise to fame began in her 50s when she started hosting a trailblazing radio show in New York City, “Sexually Speaking.” She transformed her late-bloomer success into a remarkable career, hosting a TV show, making several film appearances, and guiding millions towards a more satisfying sex life through her nearly 40 books.

At a height of just 4-foot-7 (1.4 meters), her petite figure, motherly persona, and vibrant attitude made her a credible source of unfiltered discussions on intimacy.

Her life was filled with unique experiences, including a distressing escape from Nazi Germany as a Jewish refugee, serving as a sniper in the Israeli army, and being a housekeeper in New York City, before earning her doctorate from Columbia University and starting her career as a sex therapist.

She remained active well into her 90s, once revealing her secret to staying young was “Talking about sex from morning ’til night! That keeps you young.”

Born Karola Ruth Siegel on June 4, 1928, in Wiesenfeld, Germany, she was the only child of Orthodox Jewish parents. When she was just ten, her father was incarcerated by the Nazis shortly after the notorious anti-Jewish pogrom known as Kristallnacht. As the threat of war amplified, her mother and grandmother sent her to an orphanage in Switzerland. Unfortunately, she never saw her parents again.

Following the war, she immigrated to the then British-controlled Palestine, where she joined an underground Zionist group and trained for military action. She suffered severe injuries in an explosion during the war that culminated with Israel’s independence.

In 1950, she moved to Paris with her new husband, an Israeli soldier. After their divorce, she immigrated to New York City and began raising her daughter, Miriam, from a brief second marriage. Her third marriage in 1961, to a fellow Jewish refugee and Holocaust survivor, Manfred Westheimer, lasted until his death in 1997. They had a son, Joel.

After her studies, Dr. Ruth worked with renowned sex therapist Helen Singer Kaplan before launching her New York radio show in 1980. Within less than two years, she became a household name with nationally syndicated radio and television shows. Her candid discussions on intimate topics, including female orgasm, masturbation, homosexuality, and consent, resonated with a nation ready for straightforward answers.

Her advice was often concise and direct: enjoy and share fantasies, be flexible with partners with differing appetites for sex, and have sex before dinner. She avoided using the term “normal,” suggesting that anything between two consenting adults was acceptable in privacy. Dr. Ruth also voiced support for legalized prostitution, sparking some controversy. Her book “Sex for Dummies” has been published in 17 languages.

Dr. Ruth cherished her family, and when recounting her past, she often included her time as a sniper fighting for Israel’s independence. She amusingly recalled, “I was a very good shooter. I once went with my grandson to a county fair where you shoot a water pistol at the clown’s mouth. We came home with 12 stuffed animals and a goldfish.”

In 2016, she shared, “I did not know that my eventual contribution to the world would be to talk about orgasms and erections, but I did know I had to do something for others to justify being alive.” Dr. Ruth’s life and work have undoubtedly left an indelible mark on the world. As we mourn her loss, we also celebrate the legacy she leaves behind, making intimate conversations less taboo and more approachable.

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