Brigitte Macron Appeals Verdict
France’s first lady is appealing to the nation’s highest court following a lower court’s decision that cleared two women of defamation for alleging she was born male, according to her attorney on Monday.
Brigitte Macron has escalated her legal battle against these women regarding claims about her previous gender by bringing the case to the Court de Cassation after they were acquitted by a lower court, as stated by her lawyer.
On Thursday, the Paris appeals court overturned prior convictions of the two women, who had disseminated false information online that went viral, asserting that Brigitte Macron, 72, was once a man.
Rumors concerning Macron’s gender have persisted on social media for several years.
Additionally, her 24-year age difference with President Emmanuel Macron has drawn significant attention and speculation.
In December 2021, Brigitte Macron lodged a libel suit against the two women after they released a YouTube video alleging she had previously been known as Jean-Michel Trogneux—who is actually her brother.
The video featured Amandine Roy, who identifies as a spiritual medium, interviewing Natacha Rey, an independent journalist claiming to reveal what she called a “state lie” and “scam,” suggesting that Jean-Michel Trogneux underwent gender reassignment surgery to become Brigitte before marrying Emmanuel Macron.
This assertion gained traction online and spread among conspiracy theorists in the United States.
Last September, a lower court ordered the two women to pay damages amounting to €8,000 to Brigitte Macron and €5,000 to her brother.
On Sunday, Brigitte Macron’s lawyer Jean Ennochi informed AFP that her brother is also pursuing his case against the dismissal of charges at the Court de Cassation.
The viral video featuring Amandine Roy and Natacha Rey discussing gender transition surgery and personal details about Trogneux led Brigitte Macron to file lawsuits for defamation and invasion of privacy.
At 72 years old, she has faced numerous conspiracy theories often linked to her significant age gap with Emmanuel Macron, France’s president.
