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Brigitte Macron's child, Tiphaine Auzière, has told a Paris court that inaccurate assertions spread through social media—including the unfounded rumor that she is transgender—have severely damaged her mother's personal well-being.

Auzière, a 41-year-old lawyer, appeared as a witness in the court case of 10 individuals allegedly involved in online harassment against the first lady.

Effects on Personal Routine

She testified that the first lady now is always concerned about how she looks, including her fashion choices to her posture, due to the apprehension that any image might be distorted to fuel negative campaigns.

"The outcome is that she systematically needs to be careful to her outfits, her body language, no matter what her actions in day-to-day existence," she testified.

Defendants and Accusations

The defendants, aged 41 to 60, are facing charges for online harassment. A few had a small social media following, while the rest were more prominent.

Every defendant is alleged to have posting harmful statements about the first lady's identity. For some, this involved comparing the age gap with Emmanuel Macron to inappropriate terms.

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

Consequences for Loved Ones

Auzière, one of three children from her mother's previous marriage, stated how the false claims have resulted in a "decline of her physical state" and a "decline of her daily happiness".

She explained, "Not a day goes by when a person avoids discussing the issue to her."

She pointed out the repercussions on her relatives, including her grandchildren learning about malicious statements like "Your grandmother is not truthful" or "Your grandmother is your grandfather".

"She does not know what to do about it," Auzière stated. "She holds no office, she didn't pursue public attention, and she is constantly subjected to these assaults."

Judicial Proceedings History

This case is the latest phase in a broader legal battle addressing the baseless theory that Brigitte Macron is supposedly transgender.

The Macrons have initiated a US lawsuit over false statements against a political commentator who promoted the claim.

The case asserts that the accusation is entirely inaccurate and notes that the person cited is in fact her brother.

Accused Individuals' Statements

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

• A retired business owner, serving as a local official, stated he "never intended to cause harm" and described his online statements as ironic.
• A well-known publicist stated that his social media shares were presented as "irony" and expressed concern that the case could threaten "freedom of expression".
• An art gallery owner explained he shared posts since he thought it was an international matter with "impact on the nation".

Personal History

The baseless rumor about Brigitte Macron's sex circulated in part because their marriage has often been a subject of discussion on the internet.

The first lady, being 24 years older than the president, first met him when she was a teacher at his school.

Their bond evolved through the school's theatre programme, and they wed in the following year, after her divorce.

She concluded her statement by stating that the false claims have created a "whirlwind that never stops" for the first lady.