🔗 Share this article Inaccurate Assertions Online Negatively Impacted Brigitte Macron's Daily Life, Daughter Tells Court Brigitte Macron's child, Tiphaine Auzière, informed a judicial body in Paris that false claims spread through social media—among them the baseless theory that Brigitte Macron is transgender—have severely damaged her mother's quality of life. She, a legal professional, appeared as a witness in the legal proceedings of 10 individuals accused of digital bullying against her mother. Impact on Everyday Activities Auzière stated that Brigitte Macron now worries constantly about her demeanor, including her attire to the way she carries herself, because of the concern that every photograph may be manipulated to fuel negative campaigns. "The outcome is that she always has to pay attention to her outfits, how she holds herself, irrespective of she's doing in everyday routine," she testified. Defendants and Allegations Eight men and two women, aged 41 to 60, are facing charges for internet-based bullying. A few had a small social media following, while others were more visible. All is charged with posting harmful statements about Brigitte Macron's personal life. Among them, this extended to equating the age gap with Emmanuel Macron to inappropriate terms. Upon being found guilty, they could receive a maximum of two years in jail. Effect on Relatives Auzière, a family member from Brigitte Macron's first marriage, explained how the baseless rumors have caused a "deterioration of her well-being" and a "deterioration of her quality of life". She explained, "Scarcely a day passes when a person does not talk these claims to her." Auzière highlighted the impact on her relatives, including her grandchildren learning about malicious statements like "Brigitte is deceptive" or "She is actually a man". "She has no idea how to stop it," Auzière stated. "She's not elected, she never asked for any of this, and she is constantly experiencing these attacks." Judicial Proceedings Background The Paris trial is the latest phase in a broader legal battle addressing the inaccurate allegation that she is male. The couple have also filed a case in America alleging slander against a media personality who spread the claim. The lawsuit asserts that the claim is completely false and points out that the person cited is really her brother. Accused Individuals' Statements During the trial, several defendants rejected the allegations. A retired business owner, holding a public position, claimed he "never intended to cause harm" and referred to his social media content as ironic. A well-known publicist claimed that his social media shares were meant to be "satire" and voiced worry that the trial could undermine "freedom of expression". Another individual explained he posted content since he thought it was an international matter with "consequences for France". Past Context The baseless rumor regarding the first lady's gender spread in part because the Macrons' relationship has frequently been a topic of comment online. She, aged two decades older than the president, first met the future president when she was a teacher at his school. The connection between them developed through drama activities, and they entered into marriage in the following year, following Brigitte Macron's marriage dissolution. She concluded her account by saying that the baseless rumors have caused a "chaos that continues endlessly" for the first lady.