Dr. Ruth, 88 years old and standing at 4 feet 7 inches tall, came to Montclair State and shared her humor and wit on the topic she knows most about: sex.
Photo from 1988 courtesy of wikipedia.org.
“When you say ‘sex,’ say it with more enthusiasm,” said Dr. Ruth Westheimer, a well-known sex therapist who’s better known as “Dr. Ruth,” during an event at University Hall on Wednesday, Nov. 9th.
Dr. Ruth talked with the Montclair State community on how to have a healthy sex life, and she explained her belief on establishing a relationship first – before intimacy.
“Sex cements a relationship. It is for procreation and recreation,” Dr. Ruth said.
Dr. Ruth Westheimer, 88, was born in Germany as an “orphan of the Holocaust.” Just over a decade after World War II ended, Westheimer traveled to New York to work for Planned Parenthood. She earned a master’s degree in sociology from The New School in 1959, as well as a doctoral degree in education from Columbia University in 1970.
Dr. Ruth’s friend and neighbor, Dr. Raul A. Galoppe, Chair of the Spanish and Italian Department, accompanied her on the stage. Galoppe asked Dr. Ruth about what media source is most effective for giving advice on sex.
“It is a combination of both radio and television, Dr. Ruth said. “Knowledge about sexuality is so crucial in this country. Although social media has its benefits, I feel worried that the art of physical communication will be lost. You see a family at dinner and everyone is on their phones now.”
The 4-foot-9-inch sex expert also shared some laughable moments at the event, with comments on why people should not become addicted to vibrators and using condoms. Dr. Ruth said putting on a condom is like “taking a shower with a raincoat.”
Dr. Ruth, who was written 41 books, encouraged “no glove, no love” – the rule that if a man refuses to wear a condom, his partner has to take charge of the situation or the relationship ends. Dr. Ruth also talked about heavy issues like abortion, how to assist victims of rape or sexual assault and sex education among people with disabilities.
“Abortion must remain legal, considering that there are contraceptive failures,” Dr. Ruth said.
Dr. Ruth said she hopes there will be more books and certified sex therapists available to assist the handicapped to have better sex.
