🔗 Share this article

Brigitte Macron's child, Tiphaine Auzière, testified to a Paris court that false claims circulating on the internet—among them the groundless claim that the French first lady is transgender—have significantly harmed her mother's quality of life.

She, a legal professional, served as a testifier in the court case of ten people facing charges for digital bullying targeting her mother.

Impact on Personal Routine

Auzière stated that the first lady now is always concerned about how she looks, from the clothes she wears to her posture, because of the concern that every photograph may be distorted to fuel negative campaigns.

"The result is that she constantly needs to be careful to what she wears, her posture, regardless of her activities in her daily life," Auzière testified.

Defendants and Allegations

The defendants, in that age range, are in court for internet-based bullying. Several had limited online influence, while several more were better known.

Each one is accused of posting harmful statements about the first lady's personal life. For some, this involved equating her age difference with her husband to offensive labels.

If found responsible, they may be sentenced to as much as 24 months in incarceration.

Family Impact

She, a family member from Brigitte Macron's first marriage, described how the inaccurate allegations have resulted in a "deterioration of her well-being" and a "deterioration of her daily happiness".

She testified, "Hardly a day passes when an individual does not talk this to her."

She highlighted the repercussions on her relatives, such as the younger generation being exposed to malicious statements like "Brigitte is lying" or "She was born male".

"She has no idea how to end it," Auzière testified. "She's not elected, she didn't pursue anything, and she is constantly subjected to these attacks."

Judicial Proceedings History

The legal proceedings is part of an ongoing effort in a wider judicial fight addressing the false claim that she is supposedly male.

They have initiated a US lawsuit over false statements targeting a political commentator who spread the theory.

The legal filing asserts that the claim is completely false and points out that the name mentioned is really her brother.

Accused Individuals' Statements

Throughout the proceedings, a few individuals disputed the charges.

• One defendant, now a deputy mayor, claimed he "had no purpose to cause harm" and described his posts as ironic.
• A well-known publicist claimed that his posts were presented as "satire" and highlighted apprehension that the trial could threaten "freedom of expression".
• Another individual explained he shared content as he believed it was a global issue with "impact on the nation".

Personal History

The baseless rumor concerning the first lady's gender circulated partly because their marriage has often been a subject of discussion online.

She, aged significantly older than her husband, initially encountered him when she was a educator at his secondary school.

The connection between them developed through drama activities, and they entered into marriage in 2007, after Brigitte Macron's divorce.

She finished her account by expressing that the false claims have caused a "storm that does not cease" for Brigitte Macron.