French First Lady Brigitte Macron Distressed by False Gender Claims, Daughter Says

In a Paris courtroom on Tuesday, Tiphaine Auzière, daughter of French first lady Brigitte Macron, delivered emotional testimony about the devastating impact of persistent online gender-based harassment targeting her 72-year-old mother.

Auzière, 41, told the court that her mother now suffers from “deep anxiety” due to relentless false claims about her gender identity that have circulated widely online. “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 testified.

The trial involves ten defendants, aged between 41 and 60, who are accused of online harassment for spreading what prosecutors described as “malicious comments” about the first lady’s gender and sexuality. The defendants come from diverse professional backgrounds, including an elected official, gallery owner, IT specialist, teacher, property manager, and business owner.

According to Auzière, the cyberbullying has forced her mother to constantly monitor her appearance and behavior out of fear that any image might be “distorted” and weaponized online. This persistent stress has taken a significant toll on Brigitte Macron’s mental health, with Auzière noting that medical assessments confirm this “deterioration.”

“She reads the tweets that are shown to her, but she no longer wants to,” Auzière added, highlighting how the online abuse has affected the entire family. She explained that her mother is particularly distressed that “her grandchildren hear what is being said” and “doesn’t know how to make it stop.”

The legal proceedings stem from a complaint filed by the first lady’s lawyer in August 2024, which led to arrests in February and March 2025. Prosecutors identified numerous false claims about Brigitte Macron’s gender and sexuality during their investigation, including accusations characterizing the age difference between her and President Emmanuel Macron as “pedophilia.”

Among the defendants is 41-year-old advertising executive Aurélien Poirson-Atlan, who used the pseudonym “Zoé Sagan” on social media. According to CNN affiliate BFMTV, his now-suspended X account had been the subject of several complaints and was frequently associated with conspiracy theorists. If convicted, all defendants face potential prison sentences of up to two years.

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

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

The case has highlighted the growing problem of targeted online harassment against public figures, particularly women in positions of visibility. Digital misinformation experts note that gender-based attacks often rely on manipulated images and false narratives that can spread rapidly across social media platforms.

The trial, expected to last two days, represents one of France’s most high-profile cyberbullying cases to date. Legal analysts suggest the outcome could establish important precedents for how European courts address online harassment targeting public figures.

A verdict in the Paris trial is expected in the coming weeks.