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Monica Lewinsky to speak at University of Iowa
Vanessa Miller
Oct. 18, 2017 11:20 am, Updated: Oct. 18, 2017 5:15 pm
Social activist Monica Lewinsky will speak on the University of Iowa campus next week in a message titled, 'The Price of Shame,” the UI Lecture Committee announced Wednesday.
Lewinsky, 44, became a household name in the 1990s after former President Bill Clinton admitted to having an 'inappropriate relationship” with her while she worked as a White House intern from 1995 to 1996. The admission had far-reaching repercussions, including Clinton's impeachment hearings.
Subsequently, Lewinsky earned a master's degree in psychology and began speaking out publicly against cyberbullying - having experienced it personally during the Clinton-administration scandal. More broadly, she advocates for a safer and more compassionate social-media environment.
In addition to her social activism and public speaking, Lewinsky contributes to Vanity Fair and serves as an ambassador with Bystander Revolution, an online resource that offers 'practical, crowdsourced advice about simple things individuals can do to take the power out of bullying.”
She will speak at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24, in the Iowa Memorial Union, 125 N. Madison St., on the UI campus.
The event is free to the public.
Her visit comes at a time of widespread national discourse around the issue of sexual harassment and assault in the wake of widening allegations against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein. Earlier this week, a #metoo campaign erupted on social media, through which women and men have either shared personal experiences or just noted they've been affected by the issue.
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