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The French first lady's daughter, Tiphaine Auzière, testified to a Paris court that false claims spread through social media—among them the groundless claim that she is transgender—have negatively impacted her mother's personal well-being.

Auzière, a attorney, served as a witness in the legal proceedings of a group of defendants allegedly involved in digital bullying targeting Brigitte Macron.

Effects on Everyday Activities

Auzière explained that the first lady now worries constantly about how she looks, such as her attire to the way she carries herself, due to the apprehension that each snapshot might be distorted to support hateful attacks.

"The consequence is that she constantly must be cautious to her clothing, how she holds herself, regardless of she's doing in day-to-day existence," Auzière told the court.

Accused Individuals and Allegations

The defendants, aged 41 to 60, are on trial for digital abuse. Several had limited online influence, while the rest were better known.

All is accused of posting harmful statements about the first lady's identity. Among them, this extended to comparing her age difference with Emmanuel Macron to hurtful comparisons.

If convicted, they face a maximum of two years in jail.

Family Impact

She, a family member from her mother's previous marriage, explained how the baseless rumors have resulted in a "deterioration of her health" and a "deterioration of her overall existence".

She explained, "Scarcely a day passes when an individual fails to mention the issue to her."

She emphasized the impact on loved ones, including her grandchildren learning about hurtful comments like "Your grandmother is lying" or "Your grandmother was born male".

"She has no idea what to do about it," Auzière stated. "She didn't run for election, she never asked for any of this, and she is permanently subjected to these attacks."

Court Case History

The Paris trial is the latest phase in a broader legal battle against the inaccurate allegation that the first lady is supposedly a man.

The couple have pursued a US lawsuit for defamation involving a political commentator who amplified the allegation.

The lawsuit states that the allegation is totally unfounded and notes that the name mentioned is actually Brigitte Macron's sibling.

Defendants' Responses

In court, several defendants denied the accusations.

• An individual, now a deputy mayor, claimed he "had no purpose to hurt anyone" and described his posts as satirical.
• A fiction writer stated that his posts were intended as "humor" and highlighted apprehension that the case could threaten "freedom of expression".
• A third defendant explained he shared content as he believed it was a global issue with "impact on the nation".

Past Context

The false theory about Brigitte Macron's sex circulated partly because their marriage has frequently been a point of interest on the internet.

She, being two decades older than her husband, first met him when working as a teacher at his secondary school.

Their relationship developed through the school's theatre programme, and they entered into marriage in that year, after her marriage dissolution.

Auzière finished her testimony by expressing that the baseless rumors have produced a "chaos that never stops" for her mother.