Message sent by Hill’s resignation

Katie Hill’s upset victory over an incumbent congressman in 2018 was a remarkable achievement for an openly bisexual 31-year-old who’d never held political office. By electing her, voters seemed to be saying they didn’t care about her personal life or her non-traditional path to Congress.

And their faith was rewarded as Hill rose quickly into leadership positions among House Democrats, displaying an astute grasp of policy issues and an eagerness to bridge the divide between progressives and conservatives. But then RedState, a right-of-centre blog, started publishing stories about the turmoil in her private life. The reports grew more salacious and intrusive as reporters obtained nude photos and other highly personal and sensitive correspondence involving Hill, her husband and a former campaign staffer who were having a three-way relationship.

Everyone should be disturbed by how Hill’s private life became ammunition in a campaign to humiliate her. Even members of Congress are entitled to a private life. There are boundaries. Granted, the boundaries are blurred and the potential for trouble is high when public officials have sexual relations with subordinates.

But one thing we should never accept is the exploitative release of the images people capture of their private lives. In a video she released last week, Hill said, ‘‘I will not allow my experience to scare off other young women or girls from running for office.’’ If that’s what we’re trying to avoid, we’re going to have to figure out how to guard against wrongdoing while allowing public servants to be free from intrusion and shaming in their private lives.