"In the Jewish tradition, there is a saying that 'A lesson taught with humor is a lesson retained.'"
So began the presentation of Dr. Ruth Westheimer, one of the world's leading sex experts, who brought her own unique insight, entertainment, and information to a packed house as part of the Milton S. Eisenhower (MSE) Symposium at Shriver Auditorium on Tuesday night.
"Dr. Ruth," as she has come to be known, is the author of over 23 books and has accumulated hundreds of television appearances, as well as numerous radio spots, including the one that catapulted her into stardom, "Sexually Speaking."
Complete with sneakers and her distinct German accent, Westheimer was able to blend humor and sensitive issues into an informative lecture on the important issues facing sexual education in America.
Westheimer was the second speaker in this year's MSE Symposium lineup. She made it her mission to increase the "sexual literacy" of those in attendance by talking openly about different areas of sexuality and the need for more education and increased availability of information on the topic.
From the very start, Westheimer demonstrated that she does not fit the typical grandmother figure. She bluntly remarked, "I am going to talk about orgasms. I don't know if the walls of Johns Hopkins have ever head that kind of language."
With a combination of scientific information and amusing stories, Westheimer spoke candidly to the audience about her area of expertise.
In their opening remarks before the night's lecture, the co-chairs of the symposium relayed to the audience how Westheimer complements this year's theme, "Rebuilding America: Peace and Prosperity at What Price?" as her sexual subject matter often comes up as the topic of debate in the agendas of this country's leaders.
The theme of her speech was "Moving Forward: Confronting Sex Ed in America."
Throughout the presentation she focused on many different areas, including relationships, sexual myths and the need for more sexual education in the country.
Westheimer cited her own use of the media as a means of dispersing her knowledge of the topics to a wider audience.
Westheimer sought to reach out to many different generations throughout her speech and asked the mostly undergraduate audience to try to recognize the different backgrounds of those from various age groups.
She criticized the reluctance of today's society towards talking openly about sexuality early on, while still emphasizing the personal nature of the issue.
"I am old fashioned and a square, but there is nothing wrong with [openness about sexuality]. In our country this is something to be done in private."
She explained her use of explicit language as a method to promote "sexual literacy" amongst those present.
This mission of sexually literacy focuses on all areas from birth control, to pleasure, to preventing the spread of disease, Westheimer claimed.
Her goal in being a public figure and in using the media has been to spread knowledge about sexuality in all of its forms.
She emphasized that all people need to be educated about sexuality, whether or not they themselves are sexually active.
"There are less sexual problems now because we are talking so much more about it."
She focused on two main topics for the majority of her lecture: abortion and homosexuality.
"Abortion must remain legal -- not as a contraception, but for when there is a contraceptive failure."
She remained optimistic about the future of unwanted pregnancy, pointing out that there have been fewer unintended pregnancies in recent years as more people have opened up about the controversial subject.
But she did warn in graphic detail about the risks of abortions being outlawed again.
She cautioned, "We should not have to go back to those ages of coat hanger abortions."
Westheimer addressed homosexuality, sharing how in her own private practice she encounters many same-sex couples.
She emphasized that, despite the fact that there is no scientific explanation for homosexuality, this is in fact irrelevant.
On the matter she firmly stated her belief that, "I treat these couples with the same respect as anyone else. Respect is not debatable."
With regard to sexual education, Westheimer expressed her belief that abstinence-only programs do not work. "We cannot say who should be sexually active [or] when."
She did clarify that in some cases our society must remember to look at sexual education within a religious or moral framework, such as in churches or synagogue.
However, "In schools we need to be more inclusive."
Several lighthearted moments offset the serious nature of the evening, when Dr. Westheimer showed off her talent for comedy as well as education.
Honing in on the famous myth of the importance of penis size she joked, "Size has nothing to do with a woman's pleasure -- unless it is minuscule!"
She commented on relationships by reminding the audience that, in relationships, remember that, "The most important thing is to have a smile on your face when your partner walks into the room."
When asked about what inspired her chosen career path she recalled her difficult experiences as a displaced person in Europe during World War II.
The most enduring message from her youth has been that one must "stand up and be counted."
She added that she continues to strive to live up to this message as she regularly publishes more books and works as a columnist and lecturer.
Westheimer currently work in private practice as a psychosexual therapist for couples in New York City, in addition to serving as a visiting professor at a number of schools, including Princeton University.
The next event on the MSE lineup is a lecture by Dr. Elias Zerhouni, director of the National Institutes of Health, on Tuesday, Sept. 28 at Shriver Hall.
