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The French first lady's daughter, Tiphaine Auzière, has told a Paris court that inaccurate assertions spread through social media—among them the groundless claim that the French first lady is transgender—have significantly harmed her mother's quality of life.

She, a legal professional, appeared as a testifier in the trial of a group of defendants facing charges for online harassment against the first lady.

Impact on Daily Life

She stated that Brigitte Macron now worries constantly about how she looks, such as her fashion choices to how she stands, due to the apprehension that every photograph could be distorted to support hateful attacks.

"The result is that she always has to pay attention to her outfits, her body language, regardless of her actions in her daily life," Auzière testified.

Accused Individuals and Allegations

The defendants, between 41 and 60 years old, are in court for internet-based bullying. A few had a small social media following, while the rest were better known.

All is charged with making malicious comments about the first lady's gender and sexuality. In certain cases, this involved equating the disparity in years with her husband to hurtful comparisons.

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

Effect on Relatives

Auzière, a daughter from Brigitte Macron's first marriage, stated how the false claims have led to a "worsening of her physical state" and a "deterioration of her overall existence".

She testified, "Hardly a day goes by when someone fails to mention the issue to her."

She highlighted the impact on her relatives, for example her grandchildren being exposed to hurtful comments like "Your grandmother is lying" or "She was born male".

"She does not know what to do about it," she testified. "She's not elected, she has not sought anything, and she is permanently experiencing these assaults."

Court Case Background

The legal proceedings is part of an ongoing effort in a broader legal battle addressing the inaccurate allegation that she is supposedly transgender.

They have pursued a case in America for defamation against a political commentator who promoted the claim.

The lawsuit asserts that the accusation is entirely inaccurate and notes that the person cited is actually her older brother.

Accused Individuals' Statements

Throughout the proceedings, several defendants rejected the allegations.

• One defendant, holding a public position, asserted he "never intended to inflict damage" and referred to his social media content as humorous.
• Another defendant stated that his social media shares were meant to be "satire" and voiced worry that the legal action could endanger "freedom of expression".
• Another individual testified he posted content since he thought it was a global issue with "implications for the country".

Past Context

The false theory about Brigitte Macron's gender circulated in part because their union has often been a subject of discussion on the internet.

She, aged 24 years older than the president, first met Emmanuel Macron when working as a instructor at his secondary school.

Their relationship evolved through the school's theatre programme, and they married in 2007, after Brigitte Macron's divorce.

She concluded her testimony by stating that the baseless rumors have produced a "chaos that continues endlessly" for the first lady.