🔗 Share this article

The French first lady's daughter, Tiphaine Auzière, has told a judicial body in Paris that misleading allegations online—among them the groundless claim that the French first lady was born a man—have significantly harmed her mother's quality of life.

She, a attorney, was called as a witness in the legal proceedings of 10 individuals accused of online harassment targeting the first lady.

Impact on Daily Life

She stated that Brigitte Macron now feels perpetual anxiety about her appearance, from her fashion choices to how she stands, due to the fear that every photograph might be misused to fuel malicious comments.

"The outcome is that she constantly has to pay attention to what she wears, her body language, irrespective of her activities in her daily life," Auzière informed the judges.

Defendants and Allegations

Eight men and two women, between 41 and 60 years old, are on trial for digital abuse. Some had limited online influence, while the rest were better known.

Every defendant is charged with posting harmful statements about the first lady's identity. Among them, this extended to linking the disparity in years with her husband to offensive labels.

Upon being found guilty, they may be sentenced to as much as 24 months in incarceration.

Effect on Relatives

She, a daughter from Brigitte Macron's previous marriage, stated how the false claims have resulted in a "deterioration of her well-being" and a "worsening of her overall existence".

She testified, "Not a day passes when a person avoids discussing this to her."

Auzière pointed out the impact on the family, such as the younger generation learning about false assertions like "She is deceptive" or "Your grandmother is your grandfather".

"She is unsure how to stop it," she testified. "She holds no office, she never asked for public attention, and she is continually subjected to these attacks."

Judicial Proceedings Background

The legal proceedings represents a recent development in a wider judicial fight addressing the false claim that she was a man.

The couple have initiated a US lawsuit over false statements against a media personality who spread the theory.

The lawsuit states that the accusation is entirely inaccurate and identifies that the individual referenced is actually Brigitte Macron's brother.

Defendants' Responses

In court, several defendants disputed the charges.

• One defendant, holding a public position, asserted he "did not mean to inflict damage" and referred to his posts as humorous.
• A well-known publicist stated that his social media shares were presented as "humor" and voiced worry that the trial could undermine "free speech".
• A third defendant testified he shared posts because he felt it was an international matter with "implications for the country".

Past Context

The baseless rumor about Brigitte Macron's gender gained traction to some extent because their marriage has frequently been a topic of comment in digital spaces.

The first lady, being significantly older than Emmanuel Macron, originally knew him when working as a educator at his secondary school.

Their bond evolved through the school's theatre programme, and they married in 2007, subsequent to her divorce.

She finished her statement by stating that the inaccurate allegations have caused a "chaos that never stops" for the first lady.