Dr. Ruth Explores Bestiality, Oral Sex

All things sex-related were fair game Friday afternoon as noted sex therapist and scholar Dr. Ruth Westheimer spoke to hundreds in the Science Center about contraception, sex in the media and masturbation, among other topics.

Westheimer’s talk was sponsored by the Ann Radcliffe Trust and kicked off the National Symposium on the Advancement of Women in Science, a two-day conference organized by Women in Science at Harvard-Radcliffe (WISHR).

Karen E. Avery ’87, director of the Ann Radcliffe Trust, introduced Westheimer, highlighting her new textbook, Human Sexuality: A Psychosocial Perspective, and her term at Princeton lecturing on the Jewish family.

Avery lauded the 75 year-old, four-foot-seven cultural icon for being one of People magazine’s “Most Interesting People of the Century” and also bestowed upon her the title of “Harvard’s favorite sex therapist.”

In her talk, Westheimer, who is commonly referred to simply as “Dr. Ruth,” spoke of common myths and misconceptions about sex throughout history.

She started with the example of a Victorian mother who instructed her daughter on her wedding night to “lie back and think of England.”

According to Westhiemer, “Don’t expect the earth to shake,” was common advice mothers gave to daughters regarding the expectation of orgasm during sex.

In her signature witty style, delivered in a German accent, Westheimer responded to the question of “Is it dangerous to have sex in water?” with a chuckle.

“Yes, if you don’t know how to swim,” she said.

Questions from audience members stretched her sexual knowledge, according to Westheimer.

Topics brought up by the audience included the definition of a “hook up,” whether “oral sex is sex” and what Westheimer thought of bestiality.

However, Westheimer emphasized that sex is only one part of relationships.

“I do believe in values, I believe in love, I believe in relationships,” she said.

Westheimer also spoke about common myths surrounding masturbation and pregnancy.

“It behooves us to bury myths about masturbation,” Westheimer said. “In the U.S. there are myths [about masturbation] that say you have to wear glasses, your hair falls out, that men won’t impregnate women,” she said.

She also spoke of misconceptions about pregnancy, noting common excuses for not using contraception such as, “the first time does not count,” and, “don’t worry, I have tremendous control.”

“We do have fewer unintended pregnancies [in recent years, but] we still have more education to do,” she said.

Westheimer expressed her personal beliefs on abortion, saying it should remain a legal recourse for when contraception fails.

The statement elicited sustained applause from the audience.

Westheimer addressed the media’s role in both educating about sex and in sexual sensationalism.

“If I pass by a newsstand and see a magazine with sex on the cover I am the first one to buy it,” she said.

But she also warned of the power of the media to create further myth surrounding sex and sexuality and to blur the line between fiction and reality.

Westheimer ended her talk on the topic of AIDS, condemning sex clubs where she said people participate in indiscriminate sexual activity “as if the disease has been eradicated.”

She said American society needs to be more open regarding sex.

“She’s a hoot…She’s 70 going on 20,” said Lesley M. Chin ’04, a member of the Ann Radcliffe Student Faculty Advisory Board.

Heather C. Higgins ’05, the speakers committee co-chair of the conference, said that WISHR had worked since last summer to secure Westheimer for the speaking engagement.

Higgins said she was pleased with the lecture as a kickoff to the conference.

The conference continued through Saturday with speakers and workshops on various issues facing women in science.

—Staff writer Lisa M. Puskarcik can be reached at puskarc@fas.harvard.edu.