Brigitte Macron Deeply Distressed by False Gender Claims, Says Daughter

French First Lady’s Daughter Testifies About Impact of Online Harassment in Paris Trial

The daughter of French first lady Brigitte Macron delivered emotional testimony in a Paris courtroom Tuesday, revealing the severe psychological toll that persistent false claims about her mother’s gender have inflicted on the 72-year-old.

Tiphaine Auzière, 41, told the court her mother now suffers from “deep anxiety” due to relentless online harassment. “There isn’t a single week when she isn’t harassed, not one person in her personal or professional life fails to bring up these allegations,” Auzière stated.

Ten defendants, eight men and two women ranging in age from 41 to 60, face charges of online harassment for spreading what prosecutors described as “malicious comments” about the first lady’s gender and sexuality. The diverse group of defendants includes an elected official, a gallery owner, an IT specialist, a teacher, a property manager, and a business owner.

Auzière described how her mother has become hypervigilant about her public appearance, constantly monitoring what she wears and how she carries herself out of fear that any image could be “distorted” and weaponized online. This constant scrutiny has led to a documented “deterioration” in Brigitte Macron’s mental health, according to medical assessments referenced by her daughter.

“She reads the tweets that are shown to her, but she no longer wants to,” Auzière added, highlighting her mother’s increasingly withdrawn approach to social media.

The cyberbullying has extended beyond the first lady herself, affecting the entire family. Auzière explained that her mother is particularly devastated that “her grandchildren hear what is being said” and “doesn’t know how to make it stop.” Brigitte Macron has three children from her first marriage to André-Louis Auzière, with Tiphaine being the youngest.

The current legal proceedings stem from a complaint filed by the first lady’s lawyer in August 2024, which led to two waves of arrests in February and March 2025. Initial investigations uncovered numerous false claims about Brigitte Macron’s gender and sexuality, with some posts even characterizing the age difference between her and President Emmanuel Macron as “pedophilia,” according to prosecutors.

Among the defendants is 41-year-old advertising executive Aurélien Poirson-Atlan, who used the pseudonym “Zoé Sagan” on social media. His X account, now suspended, had been the subject of several complaints and was reportedly linked to conspiracy theorist circles, according to CNN affiliate BFMTV.

If convicted, the defendants could face up to two years in prison. The trial is expected to last two days, with a verdict likely to be delivered at a later date.

This Paris trial comes just three months after the Macrons filed a separate 22-count defamation lawsuit in Delaware against American right-wing podcaster Candace Owens. That lawsuit alleges Owens conducted “a relentless year-long campaign of defamation against the Macrons” by promoting similar conspiracy theories about the first lady’s gender.

In March, Owens revived these claims in a YouTube video titled “Is France’s First Lady a Man?” which she promoted on X as “likely the biggest scandal in political history.” She has since produced numerous videos about Brigitte Macron for her nearly 4.5 million YouTube subscribers, including a multi-part series called “Becoming Brigitte.”

The dual legal actions highlight the increasingly global nature of online harassment and misinformation targeting public figures, as well as the concrete personal consequences such campaigns can have on their targets and their families.