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The French first lady's child, Tiphaine Auzière, testified to a judicial body in Paris that inaccurate assertions online—among them the baseless theory that she is transgender—have significantly harmed her mother's daily existence.

She, a 41-year-old lawyer, was called as a witness in the trial of 10 individuals allegedly involved in online harassment against Brigitte Macron.

Impact on Everyday Activities

Auzière testified that the first lady now feels perpetual anxiety about how she looks, from her attire to her posture, due to the apprehension that any image could be misused to advance hateful attacks.

"The result is that she always must be cautious to her clothing, her posture, no matter what her activities in her daily life," Auzière informed the judges.

Accused Individuals and Charges

Eight men and two women, between 41 and 60 years old, are on trial for digital abuse. A few had modest digital reach, while the rest were better known.

All is charged with making malicious comments about Brigitte Macron's gender and sexuality. Among them, this involved linking the age gap with her husband to offensive labels.

Upon being found guilty, they face as much as 24 months in jail.

Effect on Relatives

She, one of three children from Brigitte Macron's first marriage, explained how the baseless rumors have led to a "deterioration of her physical state" and a "decline of her overall existence".

She explained, "Hardly a day passes when someone avoids discussing this to her."

She highlighted the impact on the family, for example the kids hearing hurtful comments like "Brigitte is deceptive" or "She is actually a man".

"She does not know how to end it," Auzière testified. "She didn't run for election, she never asked for anything, and she is constantly facing these attacks."

Court Case History

The legal proceedings represents a recent development in a wider judicial fight targeting the false claim that Brigitte Macron is a man.

The Macrons have also filed a legal action in the United States for defamation involving a media personality who promoted the claim.

The lawsuit states that the claim is totally unfounded and notes that the person cited is actually her brother.

Trial Testimonies

In court, several defendants rejected the accusations.

• An individual, now a deputy mayor, claimed he "had no purpose to inflict damage" and referred to his posts as ironic.
• A well-known publicist claimed that his posts were meant to be "humor" and expressed concern that the legal action could threaten "freedom of expression".
• A third defendant said he disseminated posts as he believed it was a worldwide topic with "consequences for France".

Past Context

The false theory about the first lady's sex circulated to some extent because the Macrons' relationship has long been a topic of comment in digital spaces.

She, who is 24 years older than her husband, initially encountered the future president when working as a teacher at the institution he attended.

Their relationship grew through the school's theatre programme, and they married in 2007, after her separation.

She finished her testimony by saying that the inaccurate allegations have produced a "whirlwind that never stops" for the first lady.