France’s First Lady, Brigitte Macron, has taken her case to the country’s highest appeals court after a lower court overturned convictions against two women accused of spreading false claims about her gender. The claims, which went viral online, alleged that Brigitte Macron used to be a man. The Paris appeals court ruled in favor of the two women, Amandine Roy and Natacha Rey, who had appeared on a YouTube video making the claims, stating they had every legal right to make the allegations.
The lower court had previously ordered the two women to pay 8,000 euros ($9,400) in damages to Brigitte Macron and 5,000 euros to her brother. However, with the appeals court’s decision overturned, Brigitte Macron and her brother have now taken their case to the Court of Cassation, France’s highest appeals court. Brigitte Macron’s lawyer, Jean Ennochi, confirmed that both she and her brother are pursuing justice through the highest court.
The controversy surrounding Brigitte Macron’s gender has been circulating on social media for years, partly due to her 24-year age difference with President Emmanuel Macron. The case highlights the challenges faced by public figures in combating disinformation and protecting their reputation.
