France tries suspects over false Brigitte Macron transgender claim

Two women went on trial on Wednesday over false claims that France’s first lady Brigitte Macron was transgender, which sparked online rumour-mongering by conspiracy theorists and the far right.

In 2022, Brigitte Macron filed a complaint for libel against two women who posted a YouTube video in December 2021 alleging she had once been a man named “Jean-Michel”.