In the winter of 1998, a man shouted at me on a bustling New York street, “Hey, Monica!” This crude remark was just one of many I encountered that year, all aimed at drawing a parallel between me and Monica Lewinsky.
At that time, I was a twenty-something woman with dark layered hair and pale skin. The comparisons to Lewinsky were relentless. Strangers approached me in stores, claiming I resembled her, and I even had two women shadowing me in a bookstore, who sheepishly admitted, “We thought you were that Lewinsky girl.”
Looking back now, my feelings towards Monica Lewinsky have evolved. I empathize with how the media unfairly vilified her, while the man involved—Bill Clinton—seemed to escape any real consequences. In my early twenties, preoccupied with my own insecurities and the societal standards of beauty, I was more focused on how Lewinsky was portrayed. At the time, I absorbed the negative comments about her appearance as personal attacks. I didn’t want to be likened to her—not because of her notoriety, but because of the derogatory remarks about her weight.
Seventeen years later, as I reflect on that period, I see the parallels between Monica and myself—a pair of young women, both attractive in our own rights, but facing very different realities. While I lived a relatively quiet life as a writer in a vast city, she was thrust into the spotlight, facing ridicule from every angle. If the events of the Clinton scandal happened today, I would stand up for her on social media, challenge the narratives surrounding her, and recognize the deeper implications of body shaming. I wish I’d understood back then that we were both victims of a society that scrutinizes women’s bodies and choices.
Now, if someone were to tell me I resemble Monica Lewinsky, I would feel a sense of pride in standing with her, rather than feeling insulted.
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In summary, my perspective on being compared to Monica Lewinsky has shifted dramatically over the years. What once felt like an insult has transformed into a recognition of shared experiences and struggles. As we navigate societal judgments about women, it’s crucial to support one another and challenge outdated narratives.