Brigitte Macron 'Transvestigation': How False Transgender Claims Went Viral

The 'Transvestigation' of Brigitte Macron

• 🎯 Brigitte Macron, the French first lady, has been the target of unsubstantiated conspiracy theories regarding her gender and sexuality for years.
• ⚖️ A trial in Paris involves 10 defendants accused of cyber-bullying and spreading malicious online comments about her, facing up to two years in prison if convicted.

Origin of the Conspiracy Theory

• 💡 The false claims that Brigitte Macron was born a man gained significant traction in 2021 with a 4-hour YouTube video by Amaldine Roy and Natasha Ray.
• 🚀 This video presented a theory that the real Brigitte Macron died young and was replaced by her older brother, Jean Michel Trogneux, who allegedly underwent gender reassignment surgery.
• ⚠️ It's important to note that Jean Michel Trogneux, Brigitte Macron's brother, is alive and 80 years old.

Amplification and Global Spread

• 📈 The conspiracy theory was widely shared by anti-vax and far-right accounts, leading to the hashtag #JeanMichelTrogneux trending online.
• 🇺🇸 The claims exploded globally when US far-right commentator Candace Owens picked up the story, creating a multi-part series called 'Becoming Brigitte' and even making further claims, such as the Macrons being blood-related.
• 💰 Owens' series garnered millions of views, significantly boosting the reach of the conspiracy theory.

Legal Repercussions and 'Transvestigation'

• 🏛️ Brigitte Macron and her brother initially won a defamation case against the women who made the original video, but this was overturned on appeal, with the judge ruling that calling someone transgender is not derogatory.
• 🇺🇸 The Macrons have also taken legal action in the United States, suing Candace Owens in Delaware.
• 🧠 Analysts point to a phenomenon called 'transvestigation', described as targeting cisgender public figures with fake evidence to suggest being trans is negative, often by studying physical characteristics.
• 😔 This type of conspiracy theory has also been directed at other public figures like Michelle Obama, Jacinda Ardern, Kamala Harris, and athletes.
• 💔 The Macrons' decision to pursue legal action suggests they have had enough of the relentless rumors and vitriol.