Fact check: What are the sources of the rumors about Brigitte Macron's gender?

1. Summary of the results

The rumors about Brigitte Macron's gender originated from multiple sources and have evolved over several years. The earliest documented source appears to be two French women: Amandine Roy, a self-proclaimed spiritual medium, and Natacha Rey, a self-described independent journalist, who spread false claims on YouTube in 2021 ^[1]. These individuals falsely claimed that Brigitte Macron was born as a man named Jean-Michel Trogneux - which is actually the name of her brother ^{[2] [3]}.

The rumors gained significant international traction when American right-wing influencer and podcaster Candace Owens amplified these false claims through her podcast and social media posts ^{[4] [2] [5]}. Owens specifically promoted the conspiracy theory that Brigitte Macron is male and was born as Jean-Michel Trogneux ^[2].

These false claims are part of a broader phenomenon known as "transvestigation," where baseless allegations are made about high-profile women being transgender, often with the implication that being transgender is inherently negative ^[6]. The conspiracy theory has been circulating on social media for years and has resulted in legal action, with Emmanuel Macron suing Candace Owens for defamation ^[5] and pursuing libel complaints against Roy and Rey ^[1].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The analyses reveal important context about the motivations and broader implications of these rumors. The conspiracy theory appears to be driven by far-right ideological motivations rather than factual concerns ^[6]. The "transvestigation" phenomenon specifically targets high-profile women and operates on the premise that being transgender is something to be ashamed of ^[6].

Financial and influence-based motivations are evident, particularly for Candace Owens, who benefits from generating controversial content that drives engagement on her podcast and social media platforms ^[4]. The spread of such conspiracy theories can increase viewership, subscriber counts, and ultimately revenue for content creators in the far-right media ecosystem.

The legal responses from the Macron family demonstrate the serious harm these false claims can cause to individuals and their families ^{[1] [5]}. The fact that multiple court cases have been initiated suggests these are not merely harmless internet rumors but potentially damaging defamatory statements.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself appears neutral and factual, simply asking about the sources of the rumors rather than promoting or validating them. However, there are some important considerations:

The question could inadvertently legitimize the rumors by treating them as worthy of investigation rather than immediately identifying them as baseless conspiracy theories. The analyses clearly establish that these are false claims without factual foundation ^{[6] [1] [5]}.

The framing doesn't acknowledge the harmful nature of "transvestigation" conspiracy theories or their connection to broader patterns of misinformation targeting public figures, particularly women in positions of power or influence ^[6]. This context is crucial for understanding why these particular rumors emerged and spread.

The question also doesn't highlight the legal consequences these false claims have generated, which demonstrates their serious and defamatory nature rather than treating them as mere "rumors" ^{[1] [5]}.