Town & Countrymagazine has apologised to Monica Lewinsky, American activist, fashion designer, and former White House intern, after they disinvited her from its annual philanthropic summit because Bill Clinton was attending.

Curiously, the magazine chose to manage the situation they believed would be created by having Lewinsky and Clinton in the same room, because the former POTUS and the former intern had once had an affair…

Twenty years ago.

Since the scandal, Lewinsky has explained that her relationship with Clinton had been consensual, but acknowledged there was a fundamental power imbalance – something which the morality police completely ignored. That is why Lewinsky’s biggest issue lies with her treatment by the media, who have incessantly shamed and bullied her for the affair for two decades, making her name internationally synonymous with White House smut stories.

Conversely, Clinton remained in office to complete his term as President, and is one of the most respected names in politics; a clear message that the only person whom people felt was truly responsible for the affair was not the President of the United States, but 22-year-old Lewinsky.

This is why the current episode of slut-shaming byTown & Countryhas been 20 years in the making. But in a wonderful development, it’s not something that Lewinsky is prepared to suffer in silence anymore.

The magazine’s lack of judgement was revealed by Lewinsky herself, when she announced the incident on Twitter this week. She graciously declined to name the magazine, but commented that they had behaved with extremely bad manners, noting that “Emily Post would def not approve.”

dear world: please don’t invite me to an event (esp one about social change) and –then after i’ve accepted– uninvite me because bill clinton then decided to attend/was invited. it’s 2018. emily post would def not approve. ✌????Me

— Monica Lewinsky (@MonicaLewinsky) May 9, 2018

Emily Post is an American author famous for writing about proper etiquette and good manners. Lewinsky tweeted again soon after, disclosing that the magazine in question had attempted to placate her after the rescinding of their invitation, by offering her exposure in the form of an article.

p.s. …and definitely, please don’t try to ameliorate the situation by insulting me with an offer of an article in your mag.

— Monica Lewinsky (@MonicaLewinsky) May 9, 2018

HuffPost later identifiedTown & Countryas the offending magazine, forcing it to publicly apologise to Lewinsky a day later.

“We apologise to Ms. Lewinsky and regret the way the situation was handled,” the magazine said in a tweet on Thursday, declining to explain itself.

We apologize to Ms. Lewinsky and regret the way the situation was handled.

— TOWN&COUNTRY (@TandCmag) May 10, 2018

With the full force of the #MeToo movement behind her, which has empowered women to speak out against double-standards, sexual misconduct, and mistreatment by men, Lewinsky seized her chance to speak the truth. Twitter backed her, and the incident became an international one, with enormous pressure onTown & Countryto take more responsibility for their actions. For example, esteemed Hollywood director Judd Apatow tweeted, “Town & Countryshould be ashamed of themselves”:

This is what everyone is fighting against. @townandcountry should be ashamed of themselves. Do they let their heads of the magazine prey on their interns? Would they disinvite them after abusing their power to get what they wanted from them? https://t.co/7y5r878JSM

— Judd Apatow (@JuddApatow) May 9, 2018

Clinton’s press secretary responded to the incident, explaining that he was unaware Lewinsky’s invitation was rescinded. Angel Ureña said he “gladly accepted” the invitation for the former-President to address the summit, and “neither he nor his staff knew anything” about Lewinsky’s invitation.

President Clinton was invited to address the Town & Country Philanthropy Summit. He gladly accepted. Neither he nor his staff knew anything about the invitation or it being rescinded. https://t.co/iZ0xtG4OvQ

— Angel Ureña (@angelurena) May 9, 2018

HopefullyTown & Countrycan now see clearly that their action was the highest insult to a woman who’s already spent twenty years paying the price for the affair entirely on her own; and that whilst Lewinsky, and the world, may have been somewhat complicit in that because of their (and especially her enforced) silence, this was no longer, and would never again be, the case.