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The French first lady's daughter, Tiphaine Auzière, testified to a Paris court that misleading allegations online—including the baseless theory that the French first lady is transgender—have severely damaged her mother's daily existence.

Auzière, a 41-year-old lawyer, was called as a testifier in the court case of a group of defendants allegedly involved in internet-based abuse directed at her mother.

Impact on Daily Life

Auzière testified that the first lady now worries constantly about how she looks, from her attire to how she stands, because of the apprehension that each snapshot might be distorted to support hateful attacks.

"The outcome is that she constantly has to pay attention to her clothing, her body language, irrespective of her activities in day-to-day existence," she told the court.

Defendants and Charges

Eight men and two women, in that age range, are on trial for online harassment. Several had limited online influence, while the rest were more visible.

All is accused of making malicious comments about Brigitte Macron's personal life. For some, this included linking the age gap with the French president to offensive labels.

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

Effect on Relatives

Auzière, a daughter from Brigitte Macron's first marriage, explained how the baseless rumors have caused a "worsening of her physical state" and a "deterioration of her quality of life".

She explained, "Not a day goes by when someone fails to mention this to her."

Auzière emphasized the impact on her relatives, for example the younger generation being exposed to malicious statements like "Brigitte is lying" or "Your grandmother is actually a man".

"She is unsure how to end it," Auzière stated. "She holds no office, she didn't pursue public attention, and she is continually subjected to these assaults."

Court Case Background

The legal proceedings represents a recent development in a wider judicial fight against the false claim that she is transgender.

The Macrons have initiated a legal action in the United States alleging slander involving a conservative podcaster who spread the claim.

The case clarifies that the allegation is completely false and identifies that the person cited is in fact her older brother.

Trial Testimonies

During the trial, several defendants rejected the allegations.

• A retired business owner, now a deputy mayor, claimed he "did not mean to cause harm" and described his posts as humorous.
• A fiction writer claimed that his online activity were intended as "humor" and highlighted apprehension that the case could threaten "the right to speak freely".
• An art gallery owner explained he posted content as he believed it was an international matter with "consequences for France".

Relationship Background

The inaccurate claim regarding Brigitte Macron's identity spread partly because their marriage has long been a topic of comment on the internet.

She, who is significantly older than her husband, originally knew Emmanuel Macron when working as a educator at his secondary school.

Their relationship evolved through the school's theatre programme, and they married in the following year, following Brigitte Macron's separation.

She finished her account by expressing that the baseless rumors have caused a "chaos that never stops" for her mother.