Ten individuals found guilty of cyber-bullying against Brigitte Macron

A French judicial body has found guilty ten people for perpetrating the online harassment of Brigitte Macron, the wife of French President, Emmanuel Macron.

The accused individuals faced charges of disseminating untruths regarding her gender identity and sexuality, in addition to making defamatory statements about the couple's 24-year age gap.

The court issued suspended prison sentences of up to eight months to the convicted individuals. The complete verdict has not yet been published.

A circulating conspiracy theory claiming that Brigitte Macron is a transgender woman has existed since her husband's first electoral victory in 2017.

This recent ruling in France is concurrent with the Macrons initiating a legal action for defamation in the United States of America against conservative commentator Candace Owens, who has repeatedly shared analogous false narratives about the Brigitte Macron's gender.

Their legal filing contends that Owens disregarded any factual proof contradicting her allegations in favour of platforming known conspiracy theorists.

Owens has often echoed these allegations on her show and online platforms, and in March 2024 declared that she would bet her whole career on her insistence that Mrs. Macron was born a man.

Brigitte Macron originally became acquainted with her future husband when she was a teacher at his lycée.

The couple tied the knot in 2007, when the then-29-year-old Emmanuel Macron was 29 and she was 54.