The Japan Times - Cyberbullying has affected Brigitte Macron's health, says daughter

Tiphaine Auziere, 41, spoke on the second day of the trial in Paris of 10 people accused of cyberbullying the 72-year-old first lady by amplifying rumours that she was assigned male at birth.

If convicted, they face up to two years in prison.

"She's constantly having to pay attention to what she wears, how she holds herself because she knows that her image can be distorted," Auziere said.

The recycled disinformation had led to a "deterioration" in her mother's health, she added.

The trial comes after President Emmanuel Macron and his wife filed a defamation lawsuit in the United States at the end of July, in connection with the false claim.

The allegation has long targeted the presidential couple, alongside criticism of their quarter-century age gap.

The first lady has stayed away from the Paris trial of eight men and two women, aged 41 to 65, accused of harassing her online.

But she told investigators the rumour had greatly impacted her and her family, especially her grandchildren, who were told their grandmother was a man.

The French first lady filed a complaint in August 2024 that led to an investigation into cyberbullying and arrests in December 2024 and February 2025.

- 'Media deep state' -

Among the defendants is Aurelien Poirson-Atlan, 41, a publicist known on social media as "Zoe Sagan" and often linked with conspiracy theory circles.

In court on Tuesday, he defended his right to what he called "satire".

Jerome C., 55, told the court he was exercising his right to "freedom of speech" when he posted or re-posted on social media.

Bertrand S., 56, had on Sunday said the trial was targeting his "freedom to think" faced with the "media deep state".

The defendants also include a woman already the subject of a libel complaint filed by Brigitte Macron in 2022: Delphine J., 51, a self-proclaimed spiritual medium who goes by the pseudonym Amandine Roy.

In 2021, she posted a four-hour interview with self-described independent journalist Natacha Rey on her YouTube channel, alleging Brigitte Macron had once been a man called Jean-Michel Trogneux, the name of her brother.

The two women were ordered to pay damages to Brigitte Macron and her brother in 2024 before the conviction was overturned on appeal.

The first lady has since taken the case to the country's highest appeals court.

Delphine J. refused to speak to the court on Monday, saying she had already spoken at length on the matter.

- US influencer -

Emerging as early as Emmanuel Macron's election in 2017, the claims have been amplified by far-right and conspiracy theorist circles in France, and in the United States, where transgender rights have become a hot-button issue at the heart of American culture wars.

The presidential couple filed a US defamation lawsuit in July against conservative podcaster Candace Owens, who produced a series titled "Becoming Brigitte", claiming she was born a man.

The couple is planning to offer "scientific" evidence and photos proving that the first lady is not transgender, according to their US lawyer.

Several of those on trial in Paris shared posts from the US influencer.

Other high-profile women in politics have also been the target of disinformation about their gender or sexuality.

They include former US first lady Michelle Obama, US ex-vice president Kamala Harris and New Zealand ex-premier Jacinda Ardern.

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S.Fujimoto--JT