You might have heard about Dr. Ruth due to her popular radio show, Sexually Speaking, or her many advice columns. Dr. Ruth Westheimer lived a fascinating life, and many of her own fans don’t know much about what made her so unique. In light of her recent passing, let’s look at 10 things you probably never knew about her.
Born in Germany
Karola Ruth Siegel was born on June 4, 1928 in Wiesenfield, Germany. She would later go by her middle name and got the name Westheimer from her second marriage in 1961. Her parents, Julius and Irma Siegel, were Jewish and were routinely harassed by the growing Nazi political party.
The Nazis Took Her Parents
When she was only ten years old, Ruth’s father was carried off to a concentration camp and she was sent to Switzerland to protect her from the Nazis. She would later learn that both of her parents perished under the Nazis, solidifying her resolve to fight for justice.
She’s Always Been Blunt
While she was studying in Switzerland at an all-girl’s school, she stunned her peers and staff with her unusually blunt discussions of sex and sexuality. She would casually discuss things that, up to that point, had been taboo for women to speak of out loud.
Fought in the IDF
It might sound strange, but Dr. Ruth was trained as a sniper in the Israeli Defense Force and fought during the War for Israeli Independence. Notably, she was never involved in direct combat, but she was injured by a bomb in 1948 and decided to take the opportunity to study psychology instead of fighting.
Higher Education
After her time as a soldier, Dr. Ruth moved to Paris and began studying psychology at the Sorbonne in 1950. In 1959, she graduated from the New School in New York City with a master’s degree in sociology. In 1970, she also earned a doctorate in education from Columbia University.
Starting in Radio
In the late 60s, Dr. Ruth worked at Planned Parenthood and her ability to speak frankly about sensitive topics made her a respected personality in the New York area. She gave a lecture to broadcasters about sexual education and was promptly offered a radio show, Sexually Speaking, on New York station WYNY.
Native Accent
Many media coaches urged Dr. Ruth to shake her accent since she was hosting a radio show. However, she refused, noting that it was part of her identity. She would later remark that her decision to keep her accent was critical as it helped listeners know it was her when they tuned in.
Very Short
If you’ve only ever seen her show or heard her voice, you might not realize just how tiny Dr. Ruth was. She was only 4’7”, remarkably short for anyone. She would later note that her size was actually a good thing—she would always be able to find “good-looking guys” to help her reach high spaces.
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Reasonable Expectations
Dr. Ruth made a point of speaking about expectations in relationships, noting that viewers can “learn something” from explicit content. However, she cautioned that people shouldn’t measure themselves against performers, remarking, “no regular person is endowed like that.”
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Cruise Ships
In the final few years of her life, Dr. Ruth was known to host shows on cruise ships to speak frankly about sexuality. She had a habit of encouraging the crew, often even the captain of the ship, to join her and to read audience questions aloud. She always endeavored to make the subject of sex seem more approachable.
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