Two people were heavily fined for spreading rumors about the French first lady's transgender status.

According to AFP citing the verdict, the two defendants must pay a total of 8,000 euros (218 million VND) in compensation to Mrs. Brigitte Macron, wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, and 5,000 euros to her brother, Jean-Michel Trogneux. Both women were also given suspended fines of 500 euros.

French First Lady Brigitte Macron (left) and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris (France) on August 28, 2024

The two women being sued are Amandine Roy, a self-proclaimed psychic, and Natacha Rey, an independent journalist, who posted news and photos of the first lady and her family on YouTube in December 2021. In the video, the two women claim that Ms. Macron was born Jean-Michel Trogneux and later changed her name and gender.

The claim went viral just weeks before the 2022 presidential election, with the hashtag #JeanMichelTrogneux trending on Twitter in France just days after the video was posted.

In a 2022 interview, French First Lady Macron said she initially ignored the fabrications, but later decided to address them when the matter affected her family.

In March, French President Emmanuel Macron told reporters that these false rumors had hurt him and affected his private life.

This is not the first time a powerful female figure has been rumored to be transgender on social media. Previously, US Vice President Kamala Harris, former US First Lady Michelle Obama and former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern were also victims of gender misinformation.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tung-tin-de-nhat-phu-nhan-phap-chuyen-gioi-2-nguoi-bi-phat-nang-185240913161252733.htm