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Monica Lewinsky made a rare public appearance Thursdayat a TED talk to discuss her scandalous past in an attempt to promote herfight against cyber-bullying. The 41-year-old announced her campaignto end online bullying at a Forbes Under 30 summit in Philadelphia last year.It was the first time the public had seen the former White House intern after she stayedout of the spotlight for over a decade.
Monica has recently emerged back in the public eye to support her anti-bullying campaign Photo: Getty Images
Her appearance back in the public eyecame with some criticism, as people believed it was for political reasons. But Monica defended herself saying, "It is time to stop tip-toeing around mypast." She then went on to openly discuss the humiliation she faced afterher sex scandal involving former President Bill Clinton in 1998.
Hillary Clinton and Bill have stood by each other Photo: Getty Images
She talked about being 22 years old whenshe fell in love with the President, and, of course, the media storm thatfollowed after their relationship was made public. The scandal took on a newform with the internet boom. "This scandal was brought to you by thedigital revolution," Monica said. "This rush to judgment enabled bytechnology led to mobs of virtual stone throwers. I was branded as a tramp,tart, slut, whore, bimbo, and, of course, 'that woman'."
Monica was a White House intern when she met the President Photo: Getty Images
Aside from her own involvement withbeing criticized on the internet, Monica was motivated to start her campaign afterhearing about the 2010 suicide of an 18-year-old New Jersey freshman who wasbullied online after being secretly filmed kissing another man.
"The landscape has become much morepopulated with incidents like mine, and now it is for public and privatepeople," she said. "Millions of people, often anonymously, can stabyou with their words. And that is a lot of pain."
A media storm followed the revelation that the President had an affair Photo: Getty Images
She also brought up the numerous photoand information leaks of politicians and celebrities, discussing how the publicis actively consuming it. "A marketplace has emerged when publichumiliation is a commodity and shame is an industry," Monica said."The more shame, the more clicks. The more clicks, the more advertisingdollars." She urged an end to "shaming as a blood sport" andadded, "Imagine walking a mile in someone else's headline."
Bill Clinton was criticized after his affair was made public Photo: Getty Images
After news of the affair broke, Clintonwas impeached by the House of Representatives in December 1998 but wasacquitted. His wife Hillary, a former Secretary of State widely tipped to runfor president in 2016, says she has "moved on" from the scandal.