Three decades after one of America’s most infamous political scandals, Monica Lewinsky is finally telling her story—on her own terms. Now 51, she’s no longer a symbol of controversy, but a voice of reflection, healing, and truth.

In a powerful interview on Elizabeth Day’s How To Fail podcast, Lewinsky opened up about her relationship with then-President Bill Clinton, the media circus that followed, and the toll it took on her identity.

At 22, she was a White House intern. He was 49, the most powerful man in the country.

“It was a young woman’s love,” she said. “But it was also an abuse of power.”