I’m with Monica.
By: Rachel Wilbur
Tags: Monica Lewinsky, Hillary Clinton, Current Affairs, Feminism, Politics

I’m with Monica.

Abuse of power comes as no surprise. Unfortunately, neither does Hilary Clinton’s unwavering support of her husband, and his vast history of questionable ‘affairs’. Bill Clinton’s history of problematic sexual behaviour has followed both Clintons throughout their careers, and at this point, Hillary's steadfast support of her husband is to be expected — even in a post ‘me too’ world.

What constitutes as sexual assault is complicated, and nuanced. We should be careful to not immediately frame women as sexual victims in every situation. Under the right circumstances, cross-generational relationships can be beneficial for both parties. Not every woman with an older man is a victim. Not every woman dating her boss is a victim. But a twenty-two-year-old woman in a male-dominated field, whose forty-nine-year-old boss is the President of the United States? There’s obviously a lot to unpack in this relationship, and by dismissively responding with ‘they’re both adults’, Hillary shuts down an important discussion about the wider classifications of exploitation and manipulation that can be present within these relationships.

When we talk about abuse of power, we acknowledge that upfront and freely-given consent can exist, but an experience can still be abusive. A twenty-two-year-old can legally consent. A twenty-two-year-old can cognitively consent. But can we really expect a twenty-two-year-old white house intern to have foreseen the potential life-altering effects of engaging in a relationship with the president, twenty-seven years her senior, in the same way that their forty-nine-year-old boss could? As a just-turned-twenty-three-year-old woman, this is said with the utmost respect, and a serious desire not to patronise my peers. Being too young to remember the scandal, I was (as many others were) first introduced to Lewinsky through pop culture. She was the stuff of legend; her name could be substituted in to mean blowjobs, or ejaculate. She was the other woman, and an even unconventional feminist icon to some. But this year, Lewinsky referred to her experience as a “gross abuse of power”, that led to shame, depression, PTSD, and suicidal feelings. She now spends most of her time speaking out against bullying, and trying to support other women that have experienced similar harassment or public vitriol. Learning about the case after the fact raised questions for me about the media presentation of the affair – something always seemed off, and inappropriate about the situation. The question is, if Monica herself classified the relationship as an abuse of power, how is Hillary comfortable in dismissing the idea?

One potential answer is that it’s simply easier to believe that your partner is a cheat, rather than an abuser. The other is just that she genuinely doesn’t see an issue with that part of the relationship. While it is certainly the most famous, the Lewinsky case is arguably far from the most offensive accusation against Bill Clinton. In having to come to terms with the vast history of sexual misconduct accusations against her husband, perhaps Hillary has entirely normalised an affair that reads to millions of outsiders as an egregious abuse of power.

Those sceptical of Hillary have pointed out her hypocrisy for years. In many ways, Clinton has presented herself as a fierce feminist and champion for women, making her complete loyalty to her husband feel like a slap in the face. It’s hard to accept that she really believes victims of assault “should be heard and believed”, when she doesn’t uphold those standards within her personal life. But criticising Hillary is hard. Criticising Hillary feels like just another nail in the coffin, a dreary acceptance that perhaps she shouldn’t have won after all.

But it isn't.

One could argue that fearful, divisive partisanship is one of many reasons why the Democrats lost what many believed would be an easy victory. It’s vital that we point out damaging inconsistencies held by political representatives and key public figures, regardless of what ‘side’ they’re on. In this particular matter, we should do as Hillary says, and not as she does — if Lewinsky looks back on her time with the president as an abuse of power, then we should choose to view it through that lens too.