Hillary’s supporters argue that Bill’s actions are irrelevant since he himself is not on the ballot. But even at that time, in addition to being First Lady, with her lifetime history as a political activist, Hillary was a sort of de facto feminist-in-chief. There were so many issues of gender, power imbalance and workplace dynamics in play. As a nation, we held our breath waiting to see what Hillary would do.

At first, she retreated from public view and said nothing. And then, Hillary rallied. As the impeachment battle began, Hillary became Bill’s foremost apologist; she led the fight to defend him, personally lobbying congressmen and senators to save the Clinton presidency. She ignored the gender and power issues and pointed her wrath at a “vast right-wing conspiracy.”

Politically, the Democrats closed ranks around her. Culturally, feminists followed her lead, sacrificing Lewinsky as a person as so much collateral damage.

And damaged she was. “It may surprise you to learn,” Monica wrote in a 2014 Vanity Fair article, “that I’m actually a person.” She has had to live her entire adult life in the shadow of shame and notoriety, and found herself virtually unemployable.