A biography for Ruth Westheimerhasn’t been written yet.
“Many years ago, I went with my husband and daughter to Denmark. In those years, you could bring $400 worth of furniture without taxes. We had three people, we bought $1,200 worth of furniture.”
“I have never, ever been embarrassed by saying, 'I don't know.' I think maybe that's part of that longevity of my career. Sometimes I have to say, 'I don't know but I'll find out. Call me next week.'”
“I don't believe in honesty at all costs.”
“It is impossible to deny that people in power face more temptations than ordinary citizens.”
“My son told me to stop singing 'Happy Birthday' when he was 4.”
“I do remember all of the songs of my childhood and they helped us to cope with being orphans. But the memories of my parents in my early childhood and the solid foundations of socialisation and strong values that they gave me never left me for one day.”
“I worked at Columbia University's School of Public Health.”
“I learned to assemble a rifle in the dark and was trained as a sniper so that I could hit the center of the target time after time. As it happened, I never did get into actual combat, but that didn't prevent my being severely wounded. I almost lost both my feet as a result of a bombing attack on Jerusalem.”
“At first I was against Internet dating because there are some inherent risks, but I've seen so many happy couples who've met on the Internet that I've changed my mind.”
“When I started the radio program in 1981, not many people were talking about sexuality. Not many people were talking about AIDS or HIV.”
“I don't talk around issues.”
“Even top fashion models get critical about one certain part of their body that they do not like. So perfection is impossible.”
“I tell people with children still in the house to go out once a week and talk about anything but the children. Otherwise, once you are an empty nester you might have nothing to talk about.”
“Every person deserves respect.”
“I got the Margaret Sanger award. I was kissed by President Obama.”
“I am fortunate.”
“Hugh Hefner was instrumental in my career, you know, by promoting the free-speech movement. People forget that about him.”
“Planned Parenthood is a very important part of my professional life.”
“People like me have to stay away from politics.”
“I don't know how to play Canasta.”