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The French first lady's daughter, her daughter, testified to a tribunal in Paris that inaccurate assertions spread through social media—such as the unfounded rumor that the French first lady is transgender—have severely damaged her mother's daily existence.

She, a legal professional, was called as a testifier in the legal proceedings of ten people accused of online harassment targeting her mother.

Effects on Daily Life

Auzière explained that the first lady now is always concerned about how she looks, including the clothes she wears to the way she carries herself, because of the apprehension that every photograph might be distorted to fuel malicious comments.

"The consequence is that she systematically has to pay attention to what she wears, her body language, no matter what her actions in day-to-day existence," she informed the judges.

Accused Individuals and Allegations

The defendants, between 41 and 60 years old, are facing charges for online harassment. Some had a small social media following, while others were more prominent.

All is accused of making malicious comments about the first lady's identity. For some, this involved comparing her age difference with her husband to offensive labels.

If convicted, they may be sentenced to a maximum of two years in jail.

Effect on Relatives

She, a family member from Brigitte Macron's first marriage, stated how the false claims have caused a "decline of her well-being" and a "worsening of her daily happiness".

She explained, "Not a day passes when an individual fails to mention these claims to her."

She highlighted the effects on her relatives, such as the younger generation learning about false assertions like "She is not truthful" or "Your grandmother is actually a man".

"She has no idea how to stop it," Auzière remarked. "She's not elected, she has not sought public attention, and she is permanently experiencing this abuse."

Legal Battle Background

The Paris trial is the latest phase in a extended court case targeting the false claim that she is a man.

They have initiated a US lawsuit for defamation targeting a media personality who spread the claim.

The legal filing clarifies that the accusation is entirely inaccurate and identifies that the name mentioned is really Brigitte Macron's sibling.

Defendants' Responses

In court, several defendants rejected the charges.

• One defendant, holding a public position, asserted he "had no purpose to inflict damage" and described his online statements as ironic.
• A fiction writer argued that his posts were meant to be "irony" and highlighted apprehension that the case could undermine "freedom of expression".
• A third defendant said he disseminated content since he thought it was a global issue with "impact on the nation".

Relationship Background

The inaccurate claim concerning the first lady's gender circulated in part because the Macrons' relationship has often been a topic of comment on the internet.

Brigitte Macron, being significantly older than the president, originally knew him when working as a teacher at the institution he attended.

The connection between them evolved through drama activities, and they married in 2007, after her separation.

Auzière finished her testimony by saying that the false claims have caused a "chaos that does not cease" for Brigitte Macron.