Dr. Ruth Westheimer, famed sex therapist, dies at 96

Dr. Ruth Westheimer, the famed sex therapist and best-selling author has died, according to news reports Saturday.

Westheimer died Friday at her home in New York City, according to the Associated Press. She was 96.

Standing tall at 4 feet and 7 inches, Westheimer became a media darling for her frank talk about sex. While she never advocated risky sexual behavior, she did encourage people to talk about previously taboo issues, with her recurring theme being that there was nothing of which to be ashamed.

“I still hold old-fashioned values and I’m a bit of a square,” she told students at Michigan City High School in 2002. “Sex is a private art and a private matter. But still, it is a subject we must talk about.”