Dr. Ruth Westheimer, TV Sex Therapist, Dies at 96

Her 1983 book “Dr. Ruth’s Guide to Good Sex” was the first of 40 she wrote

Dr. Ruth Westheimer poses for a portrait at her home April 1, 1990 in New York City
Dr. Ruth Westheimer poses for a portrait at her home April 1, 1990 in New York City (Yvonne Hemsey/Getty Images)

Dr. Ruth Westheimer, the television sextherapist who captivated audiences with her matter of fact approach to talking about the topic, died July 12 in her home in New York City. She was 96.

Westheimer’s career began in the 1980s with her radio show “Sexually Speaking.” in 1983 she published “Dr. Ruth’s Guide to Good Sex,” the first of 40 books she wrote. She was a regular on the late night show circuit, and her own talk show debuted in 1984.

In a 2016 interview with the Harvard Business Review, Westheimer said career path wasn’t planned from the start. She was training to become a sex therapist at Cornell University Medical Center when a law was passed in New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey that required radio programs to include community affairs in their broadcasts.

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