The Reason Monica Lewinsky Didn't Change Her Name After Bill Clinton Scandal

Most people in Monica Lewinsky's shoes would have seriously considered changing their name after news of the Bill Clinton scandal broke in 1998. At the time, the media constantly made rude, sexist remarks about the former White House staffer, poked fun at her weight, and just generally slut-shamed her. Speaking to the New York Times in 2023, Lewinsky shared that she had tried getting her life back on track in 2005 by moving across the pond and earning a master's degree in social psychology. However, the scandal followed her there, leaving the young woman no choice but to move back to the States. Unfortunately, her dreams of a regular life seemed farther away back home because she was unable to land a job, despite applying for around 50 roles. 

During a 2019 appearance on "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver," Lewinsky admitted that although she was urged to change her name on her CV, she refused, with the former White House intern reasoning that she would be recognized regardless and she didn't want to lie to potential colleagues. The mental health advocate felt the fact that she had to consider a name change was misogynistic since Clinton was never asked to do the same. Lewinsky offered another crucial reason why she had no interest in a new moniker too. "I'm not ashamed of who I am," she clarified. "And I think as hard as it has been to have that last name sometimes — and the pain of what I've felt, of what it's meant for the other people in my family who have that last name — I'm glad I didn't change it." 

In October 2018, Monica Lewinsky launched the #DefyTheName campaign to encourage people who were bullied, like she was, to rise up against the names they were called. As part of the campaign, the outspoken activist changed her own display name on X, formerly known as Twitter, to: "Monica Chunky Slut Stalker That Woman Lewinsky" during an appearance on "Good Morning America." Lewinsky detailed how she had to endure the difficult task of looking through the never-ending list of demeaning and derogatory names that she had been called to find the right ones for her display handle. However, the staunch anti-bullying advocate powered through because she desperately wanted to be involved in a campaign that was so close to her heart. 

The following month, she took to X to post a PSA in which the former White House staffer recalled even more of those offensive monikers before encouraging people not to let such cruel names define them. And yet, Lewinsky shared a tell-tale sign that the Clinton affair was more traumatic than she let on in a March 2019 tweet, in which she opened up further about the name-calling, by confessing, "Being fat-shamed affected my self esteem + self worth more. being slut-shamed affected my external life more — work/ability to earn an income/relationships. both had long-lasting effects."

The podcast host also thanked her mental health team for enabling her to cope with these issues in the long run. Moreover, the tragic truth of Lewinsky's weight loss transformation is that it may have been propelled by all the harsh bullying she endured. Although Lewinsky's life after the Clinton scandal has been full of similarly tragic details, she has continued proudly defying the names she was given.