Monica Lewinsky decided now is the time to finally open up and discuss the affair she had with former President Bill Clinton while he was in office and the aftermath.
In a piece for Vanity Fair, the 40-year-old writes that she wanted to stop "tiptoeing around my past--and other people's futures," as the reason for penning the piece, which will be published in the May 8 digital issue.
Lewinsky starts off by noting that while Clinton might have "took advantage" of her, the relationship was always "consensual." Though she did go on to explain that she did feel somewhat abused after she was made out as "a scapegoat in order to protect his powerful position."
She writes that getting a job in the field of communications after the scandal was quite difficult as many potential employers knew her "history," and were worried about sending Lewinsky out to events where press would be present. Still, despite that she never really considered $10 million offers that came her way since "they didn't feel like the right thing to do."
According to NBC News, Lewinsky said she decided to come forward about her story after the 2010 suicide of Rutgers University freshman Tyler Clementi because his private life was made public. "Perhaps by sharing my story, I reasoned, I might be able to help others in their darkest moments of humiliation."