Misleading Assertions on the Internet Harmed Brigitte Macron's Daily Life, Daughter Informs the Tribunal

Brigitte Macron's child, her daughter, testified to a Paris court that false claims circulating on the internet—including the groundless claim that the French first lady is transgender—have severely damaged her mother's daily existence.

Auzière, a 41-year-old lawyer, appeared as a testifier in the trial of 10 individuals accused of internet-based abuse targeting the first lady.

Consequences on Daily Life

Auzière stated that Brigitte Macron now feels perpetual anxiety about how she looks, such as the clothes she wears to how she stands, as a result of the fear that each snapshot may be distorted to advance malicious comments.

"The outcome is that she constantly needs to be careful to her clothing, her body language, no matter what her activities in day-to-day existence," she testified.

Defendants and Accusations

Ten individuals, between 41 and 60 years old, are on trial for online harassment. A few had a small social media following, while others were better known.

All is alleged to have spreading defamatory content about the first lady's identity. Among them, this involved equating the age gap with the French president to offensive labels.

Upon being found guilty, they face up to two years in incarceration.

Consequences for Loved Ones

She, one of three children from her mother's initial union, stated how the false claims have led to a "worsening of her physical state" and a "worsening of her daily happiness".

She testified, "Scarcely a day goes by when an individual fails to mention the issue to her."

Auzière highlighted the effects on her relatives, such as her grandchildren learning about hurtful comments like "Your grandmother is not truthful" or "She was born male".

"She is unsure how to end it," Auzière remarked. "She didn't run for election, she didn't pursue any of this, and she is constantly experiencing this abuse."

Legal Battle Background

This case is the latest phase in a broader legal battle targeting the false claim that the first lady was male.

The Macrons have also filed a US lawsuit for defamation involving a conservative podcaster who promoted the claim.

The case clarifies that the claim is totally unfounded and points out that the name mentioned is really her brother.

Defendants' Responses

During the trial, a few individuals rejected the accusations.

  • An individual, serving as a local official, asserted he "did not mean to inflict damage" and described his online statements as ironic.
  • Another defendant claimed that his online activity were presented as "irony" and expressed concern that the case could endanger "the right to speak freely".
  • An art gallery owner testified he posted posts since he thought it was a worldwide topic with "consequences for France".

Relationship Background

The inaccurate claim regarding Brigitte Macron's gender spread to some extent because their marriage has frequently been a point of interest on the internet.

She, aged 24 years older than her husband, initially encountered him when serving as a instructor at the institution he attended.

Their relationship developed through drama activities, and they entered into marriage in the following year, after Brigitte Macron's divorce.

Auzière finished her account by expressing that the baseless rumors have produced a "chaos that does not cease" for her mother.

Kayla Hernandez
Kayla Hernandez

Mira Thorne is a web infrastructure specialist with over a decade of experience in cloud computing and hosting solutions.