In a candid op-ed published moments ago on Vanity Fair, activist and producer Monica Lewinsky revealed she has tested positive for COVID-19—a diagnosis she called “ironic given my history with viral moments.” The 50-year-old, who has become a leading voice against cyberbullying, shared that she’s isolating in her New York apartment with “a fever, a stocked fridge, and far too much time to think about 1998.”
Lewinsky’s essay details how the pandemic’s isolation “unexpectedly echoed the loneliness of my darkest years,” drawing parallels between today’s “endless doomscrolling” and the media frenzy that once surrounded her. “At least this virus is equal opportunity,” she quipped, before turning serious: “But let’s be clear—no one should be shamed for getting sick.” The piece includes a call to action for compassionate discourse, urging readers to “attack the virus, not the vulnerable.”
Reactions have been overwhelmingly supportive, with Hillary Clinton tweeting “Wishing you a speedy recovery—and thanking you for turning pain into purpose,” while The Social Dilemma’s Tristan Harris praised her “brilliant framing of contagion culture.” Even critics noted the power of her metaphor—COVID shaming as “the latest form of public humiliation.”
Ever the strategist, Lewinsky signed off with a wink: “Don’t worry, I’m fully vaxxed. Some mistakes you only make once.” Her final line? “P.S. To the trolls: Try innovating. ‘Lewinsky gets plague’ is low-hanging fruit.”
