More than three decades after the scandal that changed her life, Monica Lewinsky is speaking openly about the affair with former President Bill Clinton and its lasting impact.
Appearing on recent podcasts, Lewinsky reflected on the relationship, which began when she was a 22-year-old White House intern and Clinton was 49. While she described her feelings at the time as genuine, she now views the situation differently, calling it an “abuse of power” and acknowledging the significant power imbalance involved.
Lewinsky said one of the most painful aspects of the scandal was how she was portrayed in public. She became the target of relentless media coverage, jokes, and criticism that damaged her reputation and made it difficult to build a career after leaving the White House.
“I wasn’t a dumb bimbo,” she said, pushing back against labels that followed her for years.
Today, Lewinsky continues to advocate for greater understanding of public shaming, power dynamics, and the treatment of women caught in high-profile scandals. While she appreciates the person she has become, she admits she sometimes wonders how different her life might have been without the events that thrust her into the global spotlight.
More than 30 years later, Lewinsky says the conversation is no longer just about her past—it is about what society can learn from it.
