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The French first lady's child, her daughter, informed a tribunal in Paris that inaccurate assertions circulating on the internet—among them the groundless claim that the French first lady is transgender—have negatively impacted her mother's quality of life.

She, a attorney, was called as a witness in the legal proceedings of 10 individuals accused of online harassment against her mother.

Consequences on Everyday Activities

Auzière stated that the first lady now is always concerned about her appearance, such as her attire to the way she carries herself, because of the concern that any image might be distorted to support malicious comments.

"The consequence is that she systematically needs to be careful to her clothing, how she holds herself, regardless of she's doing in her daily life," Auzière informed the judges.

Accused Individuals and Allegations

Eight men and two women, in that age range, are on trial for online harassment. A few had modest digital reach, while several more were better known.

All is accused of spreading defamatory content about the first lady's identity. Among them, this involved comparing the age gap with the French president to offensive labels.

If convicted, they face a maximum of two years in prison.

Family Impact

She, a daughter from Brigitte Macron's first marriage, stated how the inaccurate allegations have caused a "deterioration of her physical state" and a "decline of her daily happiness".

She testified, "Not a day goes by when an individual avoids discussing the issue to her."

Auzière highlighted the effects on loved ones, such as her grandchildren learning about malicious statements like "She is deceptive" or "She is actually a man".

"She does not know how to stop it," she testified. "She holds no office, she has not sought any of this, and she is permanently subjected to these attacks."

Judicial Proceedings History

The legal proceedings is the latest phase in a extended court case targeting the baseless theory that Brigitte Macron is supposedly male.

The couple have initiated a case in America over false statements involving a conservative podcaster who promoted the theory.

The legal filing asserts that the accusation is entirely inaccurate and notes that the individual referenced is really her older brother.

Defendants' Responses

Throughout the proceedings, some of the accused denied the allegations.

• A retired business owner, now a deputy mayor, asserted he "did not mean to hurt anyone" and described his posts as humorous.
• A fiction writer argued that his social media shares were meant to be "irony" and expressed concern that the trial could endanger "the right to speak freely".
• Another individual said he posted posts as he believed it was an international matter with "consequences for France".

Relationship Background

The inaccurate claim concerning the first lady's identity circulated partly because the Macrons' relationship has frequently been a topic of comment in digital spaces.

The first lady, who is 24 years older than the president, first met Emmanuel Macron when she was a instructor at his secondary school.

Their bond developed through theatrical projects, and they married in that year, following her divorce.

She concluded her testimony by saying that the baseless rumors have caused a "storm that continues endlessly" for her mother.