An HR executive caught on the big screen at a Coldplay concert embracing her boss has described how the harassment has never ended following the viral moment.
Kristin Cabot has spoken publicly for the first time about the video in which she was seen hugging Andy Byron, then-CEO of tech company Astronomer, at the show in July, before they abruptly ducked and hid from the camera.
Ms. Cabot, 53, who was the company's chief people officer, stepped down following Mr. Byron's resignation after the firm announced he would be placed on leave and investigated.
Speaking to the Times, Ms. Cabot said she has been looking for another job but been told she is unemployable.
The video, which showed the pair swaying to music at the concert in Boston, Massachusetts, before trying to hide, quickly went viral after Coldplay's lead singer Chris Martin joked to the crowd: Either they're having an affair, or they're just very shy. It received millions of views and sparked a wave of internet memes, but for Ms. Cabot, her ordeal had only just begun.
I became a meme; I was the most maligned HR manager in HR history, Ms. Cabot told The Times.
She had been separated from her husband, who also attended the concert. In a separate interview, she explained that she was not in a sexual relationship with Mr. Byron and they had never kissed before that night, though she admits to having had a crush on her boss.
I made a bad decision and had a couple of High Noons and danced and acted inappropriately with my boss. I took accountability and I gave up my career for that, she stated.
When asked why she chose to speak out now, she explained, It's not over for me, and it's not over for my kids. The harassment never ended. Her children now bear the brunt of the public scrutiny, feeling embarrassed to be seen with their mother.
“They’re mad at me. And they can be mad at me for the rest of their lives – I have to take that,” she lamented.
Ms. Cabot noted that she faced greater scrutiny than her male counterpart, questioning whether Mr. Byron faced the same level of abuse. I think as a woman, as women always do, I took the bulk of the abuse, she explained. People would say things like I was a 'gold-digger' or I 'slept my way to the top,' which couldn't be further from reality.
At the height of the scandal, her appearance and clothing choices were harshly judged, complicating her already challenging situation.
Following the incident, she received numerous threatening messages, including one from a person claiming to know her shopping habits. The threats escalated to the point where her family feared for their safety and avoided public spaces altogether.
Despite these challenges, Ms. Cabot is beginning to see improvement, as she has found therapists for her children and is starting to engage more with her community.
In reflecting on her connection with Mr. Byron post-incident, she mentioned they chose to part ways for the sake of healing. Mr. Byron has not publicly addressed the matter since his resignation.
The incident remains a testament to the significant impacts of public scrutiny and social media dynamics on personal lives, particularly for women in professional settings.
