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The French first lady's child, her daughter, has told a judicial body in Paris that false claims online—including the groundless claim that Brigitte Macron is transgender—have severely damaged her mother's quality of life.

She, a 41-year-old lawyer, served as a testifier in the trial of ten people accused of online harassment targeting her mother.

Impact on Personal Routine

She testified that the first lady now feels perpetual anxiety about her appearance, including her attire to her posture, due to the concern that any image may be misused to support malicious comments.

"The outcome is that she always has to pay attention to what she wears, her body language, irrespective of her actions in everyday routine," Auzière told the court.

Accused Individuals and Accusations

Eight men and two women, between 41 and 60 years old, are in court for digital abuse. Several had limited online influence, while the rest were more prominent.

All is charged with spreading defamatory content about the first lady's personal life. Among them, this extended to comparing the disparity in years with her husband to offensive labels.

Upon being found guilty, they could receive a maximum of two years in jail.

Effect on Relatives

Auzière, a family member from Brigitte Macron's initial union, explained how the false claims have led to a "worsening of her health" and a "decline of her quality of life".

She said, "Not a day passes when someone avoids discussing these claims to her."

Auzière emphasized the repercussions on her relatives, such as her grandchildren hearing malicious statements like "She is not truthful" or "Your grandmother is actually a man".

"She does not know how to end it," she remarked. "She didn't run for election, she never asked for public attention, and she is permanently experiencing this abuse."

Judicial Proceedings Context

The legal proceedings is part of an ongoing effort in a broader legal battle against the false claim that the first lady is male.

The couple have also filed a US lawsuit for defamation against a conservative podcaster who promoted the theory.

The legal filing asserts that the claim is completely false and notes that the person cited is actually her brother.

Accused Individuals' Statements

During the trial, some of the accused rejected the allegations.

• One defendant, now a deputy mayor, asserted he "did not mean to inflict damage" and referred to his online statements as ironic.
• A fiction writer stated that his online activity were presented as "satire" and voiced worry that the trial could undermine "freedom of expression".
• Another individual testified he posted posts as he believed it was a global issue with "implications for the country".

Relationship Background

The false theory concerning the first lady's identity spread to some extent because their marriage has often been a topic of comment on the internet.

The first lady, aged 24 years older than her husband, first met the future president when she was a teacher at the institution he attended.

The connection between them grew through the school's theatre programme, and they married in the following year, subsequent to her separation.

She finished her testimony by expressing that the false claims have created a "whirlwind that does not cease" for the first lady.