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The French first lady's child, Tiphaine Auzière, informed a tribunal in Paris that inaccurate assertions spread through social media—including the groundless claim that Brigitte Macron was born a man—have significantly harmed her mother's personal well-being.

Auzière, a legal professional, was called as a witness in the court case of ten people accused of online harassment targeting Brigitte Macron.

Consequences on Daily Life

Auzière explained that her mother now is always concerned about how she looks, including the clothes she wears to her posture, due to the apprehension that every photograph may be manipulated to fuel hateful attacks.

"The outcome is that she always needs to be careful to her outfits, how she holds herself, irrespective of her actions in everyday routine," she told the court.

Those on Trial and Allegations

Ten individuals, in that age range, are in court for online harassment. Several had a small social media following, while the rest were more visible.

All is alleged to have making malicious comments about the first lady's personal life. Among them, this involved equating the age gap with her husband to hurtful comparisons.

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

Family Impact

She, a family member from her mother's initial union, stated how the inaccurate allegations have led to a "deterioration of her health" and a "deterioration of her daily happiness".

She testified, "Scarcely a day passes when someone avoids discussing these claims to her."

Auzière highlighted the repercussions on loved ones, including the kids hearing malicious statements like "Your grandmother is lying" or "Your grandmother was born male".

"She is unsure how to end it," she testified. "She's not elected, she didn't pursue any of this, and she is continually experiencing these assaults."

Judicial Proceedings History

The legal proceedings is part of an ongoing effort in a wider judicial fight targeting the baseless theory that Brigitte Macron was a man.

The Macrons have also filed a US lawsuit for defamation involving a political commentator who spread the allegation.

The lawsuit asserts that the accusation is completely false and notes that the name mentioned is really Brigitte Macron's older brother.

Accused Individuals' Statements

During the trial, some of the accused disputed the charges.

• An individual, holding a public position, asserted he "never intended to cause harm" and referred to his social media content as satirical.
• A well-known publicist claimed that his online activity were intended as "irony" and voiced worry that the case could endanger "the right to speak freely".
• Another individual testified he disseminated posts since he thought it was a global issue with "implications for the country".

Past Context

The false theory about Brigitte Macron's sex gained traction partly because their union has frequently been a topic of comment in digital spaces.

The first lady, aged two decades older than Emmanuel Macron, first met him when serving as a educator at the institution he attended.

Their bond grew through drama activities, and they wed in the following year, after Brigitte Macron's divorce.

Auzière finished her testimony by expressing that the inaccurate allegations have caused a "chaos that continues endlessly" for her mother.