 "Why France’s First Lady Brigitte Macron will prove in court she is a woman")
French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, are set to present “photographic and scientific” evidence in an American court to prove the First Lady is a woman, according to their lawyer. This comes after the Macrons filed a defamation suit against Candace Owens, the right-wing Maga influencer.
Brigitte Macron has long been a target of conspiracy theories about her gender identity. Now, she is fighting back the trolls.
Let’s take a closer look.
What’s the case?
American podcaster Candace Owens is facing a defamation lawsuit by France’s First Couple — Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron — over her claims that France’s First Lady is “in fact a man”.
The 219-page complaint was filed in July by the Macrons in the US state of Delaware.
Owens, who has 7.1 million followers on X, first started spreading bizarre conspiracy theories about Brigitte Macron’s gender in 2024 through her YouTube videos and podcast episodes.
The 36-year-old newspaper columnist turned Maga influencer said in March last year that she would stake her “entire professional reputation” on her belief that France’s First Lady Brigitte “is in fact a man” and “he transitioned” secretly decades ago.
The conspiracy theory originated in fringe online spaces and gained prominence after a YouTube video by French bloggers Amandine Roy and Natacha Rey.
The Macrons won a defamation lawsuit in France against the two women in 2024. However, it was later overturned based on freedom of expression. The French First Couple have appealed the decision.
The Macrons also filed a defamation lawsuit against Owens, accusing her of spreading “outlandish, defamatory, and far-fetched” lies that have triggered a “campaign of global humiliation” and “relentless bullying”.
They alleged she “disregarded all credible evidence disproving her claim in favour of platforming known conspiracy theorists and proven defamers”.
Reacting to the lawsuit, Owens said she had been sued by the “first lady man” of France. “I am fully prepared to take on this battle,” she declared on her podcast in July. “On behalf of the entire world, I will see you in court.”
Despite the legal case, the Maga conspiracy theorist went on to double down on her baseless claim and alleged that Brigitte Macron’s death would be faked before the case reached the discovery phase.
Brigitte Macron to prove she is a woman
Brigitte Macron will present photographic and scientific evidence to prove that she is a woman in a Delaware court in the Macrons’ defamation suit against Owens.
Speaking to BBC’s Fame Under Fire podcast, the Macrons’ lawyer in the case, Tom Clare, said the French First Lady had found the claims “incredibly upsetting” and they were a “distraction” to the French president.
“I don’t want to suggest that it somehow has thrown him off his game. But just like anybody who is juggling a career and a family life as well, when your family is under attack, it wears on you. And he’s not immune from that because he’s the president of a country,” he said.
Clare said there would be “expert testimony that will come out that will be scientific in nature” and, without providing details, said that the couple were planning to demonstrate “both generically and specifically” that the allegations are false.
When asked whether the Macrons would present pictures of Brigitte pregnant and raising her children, the lawyer confirmed they existed and would be presented in court.
“It is incredibly upsetting to think that you have to go and subject yourself, to put this type of proof forward,” he said.
“It is a process that she will have to subject herself to in a very public way. But she’s willing to do it. She is firmly resolved to do what it takes to set the record straight.
“If that unpleasantness and that discomfort that she has of opening herself up in that way is what it takes to set a record straight and stop this, she’s 100 per cent ready to meet that burden.”
In the US, in defamation cases against public figures, plaintiffs are required to prove “actual malice” that the defendant knowingly spread false information or showed reckless disregard for the truth.
Owens’ lawyers are trying to get the case thrown out of court, taking objection to it being filed in Delaware. They claim forcing her to defend the case in Delaware would cause “substantial financial and operational hardship”.
In August, Emmanuel Macron explained to French magazine Paris Match the reason for choosing the legal route.
“This is about defending my honour! Because this is nonsense. This is someone who knew full well that she had false information and did so with the aim of causing harm, in the service of an ideology and with established connections to far-right leaders.”
With inputs from agencies
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