Tiphaine Auzière, the daughter of French first lady Brigitte Macron, told a Paris court that false claims online that her mother was born a man have damaged her quality of life, leaving her constantly concerned about her appearance and demeanour. Auzière, a 41-year-old lawyer, was testifying at the trial of ten people accused of online harassment for creating or sharing posts alleging Brigitte Macron is a man.
Auzière said photographs of her mother, including private summer images, were posted online with negative comments. 'The consequence is now that she systematically has to pay attention to what she wears, how she holds herself, no matter what she’s doing in her daily life, because she knows that her image can be distorted to serve these attacks,' she said. She added that not a day goes by without someone mentioning the claims, and that her grandchildren are affected by comments suggesting their grandmother is lying or is actually their grandfather.
Eight men and two women, aged 41 to 60, face charges of online harassment, with some equating the age difference between Brigitte Macron and her husband, President Emmanuel Macron, to paedophilia. If convicted, they face up to two years in prison. Auzière described the situation as a 'whirlwind that never stops', noting her mother is constantly on alert that any image could be used to fuel hateful attacks.
The trial is part of a broader legal battle, with the Macrons also filing a US defamation lawsuit against conservative podcaster Candace Owens for amplifying the false claim. The US suit states that the accusation is completely false and that Jean-Michel Trogneux, the name used in the claims, is actually Brigitte Macron's older brother. Auzière confirmed she saw her uncle recently and he was well.
Some defendants denied harassment, citing freedom of expression. Jean-Luc M, a retired business owner, said he never intended to cause harm despite sharing a post calling Brigitte Macron 'our first ladyboy'. Publicist Aurélien Poirson-Atlan described his posts as 'satire' and argued the proceedings were dangerous for free speech, suggesting Brigitte Macron could have ended the claims by publishing pregnancy photos.
