This week, a high-profile trial is set to commence in Paris, where ten individuals face charges of cyber-bullying Brigitte Macron, the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron. The defendants are accused of disseminating baseless claims regarding her gender and sexuality, alongside making derogatory comments about the 24-year age difference between the couple. If convicted, they could face up to two years in prison. Among the accused are an elected official, a gallery owner, and a teacher, as reported by French media. Notably, two of the defendants, Natacha Rey and Amandine Roy, were previously convicted of slander for asserting that Brigitte Macron did not exist and that her brother had transitioned genders. However, an appeals court later acquitted them, ruling that their statements did not meet the legal threshold for defamation. The Macron family is appealing this decision. The conspiracy theory alleging that Brigitte Macron is transgender has been circulating since Emmanuel Macron’s first presidential term in 2017. These unfounded claims have gained traction in the United States, largely propagated by right-wing influencer Candace Owens. In July, the Macrons filed a lawsuit against Owens, accusing her of spreading false information and aligning with far-right ideologies. Their lawyer, Tom Clare, described the ordeal as deeply distressing for Brigitte Macron and a significant distraction for the president. Emmanuel Macron emphasized that the legal action was a matter of defending his honor against harmful misinformation. The couple first met when Brigitte was a teacher at Emmanuel’s secondary school, and they married in 2007.