‘They won’t let her live normally’: Brigitte Macron’s daughter tells court gender rumors have ‘destroyed’ mother’s mental health

How did online rumours that Brigitte Macron was born male go viral?

The daughter of French First Lady Brigitte Macron told a Paris court that false claims alleging her mother was born a man have caused lasting damage to her mental health and dignity.

Tiphaine Auzière, 41, said her mother now suffers from “deep anxiety” as a result of persistent online harassment and is constantly self-conscious about her appearance. “There isn’t a single week when she isn’t harassed, not one person in her personal or professional life fails to bring up these allegations,” she told the court.

Auzière testified at the trial of ten people accused of online harassment and defamation for spreading and amplifying conspiracy theories about Brigitte Macron’s gender. She said the “malicious comments” have not only harmed her mother’s well-being but also affected the rest of the family, especially her children.

“This has repercussions on her children and grandchildren. They hear things at school, such as, ‘Your grandmother is a man.’ I don’t know how to make it stop,” she said.

Auzière further added that the trolling has taken a toll on the first lady’s mental health, with medical assessments confirming the “deterioration.” Brigitte Macron reportedly struggles to live a normal life, constantly fearing that any image of her might be “distorted” and misused online.

The case stems from a complaint filed by Brigitte Macron’s lawyer in August 2024, which led to the arrest of ten suspects earlier this year. The accused, including an elected official, a gallery owner, and a teacher, face up to two years in prison if convicted.

The trial comes months after President Emmanuel Macron and his wife filed a defamation lawsuit in the US against conservative commentator Candace Owens, who repeatedly promoted the conspiracy theory in videos and social media posts. Owens had described the false claim as “likely the biggest scandal in political history,” in a video titled Is France’s First Lady a Man?

Rumours about French First Lady Brigitte Macron’s gender first surfaced online in 2017, shortly after Emmanuel Macron was elected president. The couple’s age difference, with him being a 39-year-old newly elected leader, while she was a 63-year-old former teacher, had already drawn public attention, and conspiracy theories quickly began circulating on social media.

In December 2021, the rumours resurfaced after French journalist Natacha Rey gave a four-hour interview to self-proclaimed medium Amandine Roy, which was posted on YouTube. Rey claimed to have uncovered a “state-sponsored lie,” alleging that Brigitte Macron was born male under the name Jean-Michel Trogneux, the name of her actual older brother.

In the video, Roy used photographs of a young Brigitte Macron to argue that her “walk and jaw were too masculine” and falsely claimed she was not the biological mother of her three children. One segment appeared to insinuate “corruption of a minor,” referring to the early stages of her relationship with Emmanuel Macron.

Within hours of the video’s release, it went viral, was viewed thousands of times, and was picked up by both French and international media.

The conspiracy then evolved further after writer Fabrice Poussard published an even more outlandish version, suggesting that Brigitte Macron had died young and that her brother, Jean-Michel, had changed his sex and assumed her identity before marrying Emmanuel Macron.

The first lady addressed the issue during a 2024 court hearing, saying years of online abuse had deeply affected her and her family. “All these allegations have had a profound impact on (my) circle, and on me personally,” she told the court.

In an effort to put an end to the persistent rumours, the Macrons and Brigitte’s brother Jean-Michel Trogneux have filed multiple defamation lawsuits in France and the United States.

Those named in the cases include Rey, Roy (identified in court as Delphine J.), Aurelien Poirson-Atlan (who used the pseudonym Zoé Sagan), Fabrice Poussard, and American commentator Candace Owens.

The Macrons’ US attorney, Tom Clare, told the BBC that the couple is ready to present “scientific” evidence in court to prove that Brigitte Macron was born female.