Monica Lewinsky , born July 23, 1973, burst into the pop culture zeitgeist as a White House intern for former President Bill Clinton in the 1990s. The president admitted to having an affair with Monica, then in her early 20s, during her time in the White House between 1995 and 1996, ultimately leading to his impeachment, among other repercussions, and one of the biggest political scandals of the time.
The former White House intern became an overnight figure following the entire ordeal. After decades of being shamed and used as a punchline in popular culture, Monica has parlayed her reputation into a formidable career, including becoming an advocate against anti-bullying and sexual harassment. Amid the re-emergence of the #MeToo movement within the last few years, too, public perception of how Monica had been portrayed in the past has significantly shifted.
The advocate and TV personality has been reclaiming her narrative ever since, and even produced an installment of Ryan Murphy’s ‘American Crime Story’ centered on Bill’s impeachment.
In 2025, Monica Lewinsky launched her podcast called Reclaiming, where she spoke about the scandal. Per USA Today, she expressed on a podcast episode, “I fell in love with D.C. and the White House and the job and the environment and then, very unfortunately, I fell in love with my boss who was married and also the most powerful man in the world.” Monica continued, “What followed was an inappropriate relationship that lasted for two years.”
Swipe for photos of the former White House intern and advocate during her younger years, ones that would shape the inspirational woman she is today, to now.
