Dr. Ruth Westheimer dead at 96: Sex therapist who became pop icon, media star and best-selling author passes away at her NYC home

Renowned activity therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer has died astatine nan property of 96.

Westheimer died connected Friday astatine her location successful New York City, surrounded by her family, according to publicist and friend Pierre Lehu.

The diminutive activity therapist became a popular icon, media prima and best-selling writer done her frank talk astir once-taboo chamber topics.

Westheimer ne'er advocated risky intersexual behaviour but encouraged an unfastened speech connected antecedently closeted issues that affected her assemblage of millions. 

Her 1 recurring taxable was location was thing to beryllium ashamed of.

'I still clasp old-fashioned values and I'm a spot of a square,' she told students astatine Michigan City High School successful 2002. 'Sex is simply a backstage creation and a backstage matter. But still, it is simply a taxable we must talk about.'

Westheimer's giggly, German-accented voice, coupled pinch her 4-foot-7 frame, made her an improbable looking — and sounding — outlet for 'sexual literacy.' The contradiction was 1 of nan keys to her success.

But it was her extended knowledge and training, coupled pinch her humorous, nonjudgmental manner, that catapulted her section power program, 'Sexually Speaking,' into nan nationalist spotlight successful nan early 1980s. 

She had a nonjudgmental attack to what 2 consenting adults did successful nan privateness of their home.

'Tell him you're not going to initiate,' she told a concerned caller successful June 1982. 'Tell him that Dr. Westheimer said that you're not going to dice if he doesn't person activity for 1 week.'

Her power occurrence opened caller doors, and successful 1983 she wrote nan first of much than 40 books: 'Dr. Ruth's Guide to Good Sex,' demystifying activity pinch some rationality and humor. There was moreover a committee game, Dr. Ruth's Game of Good Sex.

She soon became a regular connected nan late-night tv talk-show circuit, bringing her characteristic to nan nationalist stage. 

Her emergence coincided pinch nan early days of nan AIDS epidemic, erstwhile frank intersexual talk became a necessity.

'If we could bring astir talking astir intersexual activity nan measurement we talk astir fare — nan measurement we talk astir nutrient — without it having this benignant of connotation that there's thing not correct astir it, past we would beryllium a measurement further. But we person to do it pinch bully taste,' she told Johnny Carson successful 1982.

She normalized nan usage of words for illustration 'penis' and 'vagina' connected power and TV, aided by her Jewish grandmotherly accent, which The Wall Street Journal erstwhile said was 'a transverse betwixt Henry Kissinger and Minnie Mouse.' 

People mag included her successful their database of 'The Most Intriguing People of nan Century.' 

She moreover made it into a Shania Twain song: 'No, I don't request impervious to show maine nan truth/Not moreover Dr. Ruth is gonna show maine really I feel.'

Westheimer defended abortion rights, suggested older group person activity aft a bully night's slumber and was an outspoken advocator of condom use. She believed successful monogamy.

In nan 1980s, she stood up for cheery men astatine nan tallness of nan AIDS pandemic and said retired loudly for nan LGBTQ community. 

She said she defended group deemed by immoderate far-right Christians to beryllium 'subhuman' because of her ain past.