Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Brigitte Macron taking legal action over transgender conspiracy theory

Brigitte Macron taking legal action over transgender conspiracy theory

This is not the first time that the Macron couple has been targeted by rumours mixing gender and sexual orientation.

Brigitte Macron, the wife of the French president, has launched legal action over a conspiracy theory that claims she was born male.

The virulent fake news dates back to March but has spread over social media over the past two months. It claims Brigitte Macron, who has three children from a first marriage, was born Jean-Michel Trogneux.

Her lawyer, Jean Ennochi, confirmed to AFP earlier this week that "she has decided to initiate proceedings, it is underway."

The fake news appears to have been first published and propagated by "Natasha Rey" on Facebook. The page of this self-described "journalist" is full of conspiracy theories and diatribes against the "health dictatorship".

She backed her reporting on family photos and supposed civil status documents.

The conspiracy theory really gained traction in mid-October following the publication of an article on the supposed "Brigitte Macron mystery" in "Faits et documents", a magazine founded in 1996 by far-right figure, Emmanuel Ratier, who had, at the time of his death in 2015, received a hearty eulogy from Jean-Marie Le Pen.

"Natasha Rey" is once again part of the investigation.

The hashtag #JeanMichelTrogneux appeared for the first time on Twitter on November 1 — nearly two weeks after the article's publication — before being relayed by a relatively confidential account (531 subscribers), "Le Journal de la Macronie", resolutely opposed to the head of state, according to the data analysis tool InVid We Verify developed for AFP.

For nearly a month, the hashtag remained largely under the radar before experiencing a spectacular surge in popularity from early December.

According to InVid's latest count, the hashtag has so far generated 68,300 retweets and over 174,000 likes. Some of the posts relaying the fake news often come with messages hostile to the head of state, but some also come from people who, conversely, denounce its dissemination and popularisation.

Its main promoters appear to emanate from a very heterogeneous movement rallying conspiracists, COVID-skeptics or claiming to be part of the "French sovereignist" current.

According to InVid, the Twitter account that posted the most messages on this fake news is held by a "Frexit" supporter, while the most retweeted user runs an online media denouncing the "propaganda" around the Omicron variant.

This is not the first time that the Macron couple has been targeted by rumours mixing gender and sexual orientation. During the 2017 presidential campaign, Emmanuel Macron had to deny allegations that he is gay.

Transphobic infomercials are not a new phenomenon. Several female politicians have already been subjected to them, such as former US First Lady Michelle Obama, current US Vice President Kamala Harris and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

The strategies used to spread these rumours are often the same: misleading interpretation based on photos zoomed in on different parts of the body, and the invention of a hidden history

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Hungary Ranked Among the World’s Safest Travel Destinations for 2025
×