A 29-year-old banker from Brazil who shot to international notoriety after refusing to give up her plane seat to a toddler has spoken out about how the whole ordeal has impacted her life.
Jennifer Castro was a bank employee in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, before a viral video on social media put her at the centerpiece of a fierce online argument.
On December 4, 2024, Castro got on a domestic flight in Brazil with GOL Airlines and found a toddler in her seat. The child’s mother explained they wanted to look out the window, however, Castro explained she’d booked the window seat and asked them to move.
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A person then recorded the interaction between the two and the video quickly circulated with many picking sides on who was in the right and wrong.
Castro has since explained how the briefest interaction changed her life.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Castro said: “Since that incident, my life has taken a turn I could never have imagined."
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She went on: “What should have been just an ordinary flight turned into an extremely embarrassing situation, exposing me unfairly and causing consequences that affected both my personal and professional life.
“I was the target of judgments, attacks and speculation from people who don't even know the full story.”
Castro confirmed the person who was recording the incident wasn’t the mother, but rather a passenger who wasn’t involved. She also said this may have escalated the situation.
Castro continued: “I waited for the child to correctly accommodate himself in another seat, and then I sat down in my seat. Throughout the flight, the child cried a lot, which, although uncomfortable, is understandable when traveling.
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“What surprised me was the fact that a person who had nothing to do with the situation started filming me without permission, insulting me and trying to publicly embarrass me simply because I didn't want to change seats.”
Despite many people online siding with Castro, the backlash still had negative consequences for her mental health and professional career.
She continued: “My reaction was complete shock. I never imagined that something so simple could take on such proportions. Professionally, my life has changed a lot, so much so that today I am no longer in the field I worked in before.
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“I was a banker. In my personal life, at the height of the repercussions, I practically didn't leave the house.”
However, there appeared to be a silver lining to her being shoved into the spotlight.
Castro eventually ended up achieving social media fame and her Instagram followers skyrocketed to 2.1 million, which has opened up her to new revenue paths as an influencer. So far, she has locked down multiple brand deals.
The former banker has also confirmed she is taking legal action against the airline as they did not intervene and the distress and damages, they caused her. She has also filed against the fellow passenger who recorded her.
Topics: Social Media, News, World News
Gerrard Kaonga