Is there credible evidence or reporting that Brigitte Macron is transgender?
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Executive summary
No credible reporting supports the claim that France’s first lady Brigitte Macron is transgender; major outlets and fact-checkers describe the story as a long-running false rumour and note legal actions taken by the Macrons to challenge it [1] [2]. Courts in France have ruled both for and against amplifiers of the rumour: a Paris court found two women guilty of defamation in 2024, while a Paris Court of Appeal acquitted them in mid-2025 on free‑speech grounds — the courts did not establish Brigitte Macron’s gender [3] [4].
1. The allegation and where it came from
The claim that Brigitte Macron was “born male” and once named “Jean‑Michel Trogneux” emerged in fringe outlets and viral videos beginning around 2017 and resurged in December 2021 with a long online interview that repeated the theory [1] [5]. Conspiracy amplifiers in France and abroad — including far‑right commentators — have recycled and internationalised the story, bringing it renewed attention in 2024–25 [6] [7].
2. What mainstream fact‑checking and news outlets report
Reputable outlets and fact‑checkers describe the narrative as baseless. Reuters notes the Paris appeals court decisions dealt with defamation procedure and freedom of expression rather than proving any claim about Brigitte Macron’s gender, and points out that “all credible media” report the court did not rule on her gender [3]. BBC coverage from 2021 described the story as an “internet conspiracy theory” and reported that Brigitte Macron was preparing legal action to quash it [1]. Snopes and other outlets track the rumour as persistent misinformation [2].
3. The legal record: convictions, acquittals and ongoing appeals
In September 2024 a Paris judicial court found two women guilty of defamation and ordered damages to Brigitte Macron and her brother; in July 2025 the Paris Court of Appeal overturned that conviction, citing freedom of expression and concluding the allegations were made “in good faith,” which critics and supporters interpreted differently [3] [4]. Brigitte Macron filed an appeal to France’s Court of Cassation after the July 2025 acquittal, showing the legal dispute continues even as courts handle procedural and defamation standards rather than establishing biological facts [8].
4. What the courts decided — and what they did not
The appeals court’s July 2025 decision cleared the two defendants on defamation grounds in that instance but did not proclaim Brigitte Macron to be transgender; Reuters and other reporting emphasise the court’s ruling concerned the defendants’ intent and free‑speech protections, not a factual adjudication of Brigitte Macron’s sex or medical history [3]. Available sources do not report any credible court or medical finding that Brigitte Macron is transgender.
5. Who benefits from the rumour and why it spreads
Reporting traces the persistence of the claim to political and cultural motives: targeting powerful women with gendered slurs serves to delegitimise them, and the allegation has been amplified by actors on the far right and conspiracy ecosystems to gain clicks, followers or political advantage [7] [6]. Analysts quoted in coverage frame the story as misogynistic and transphobic disinformation that weaponises gender norms to attack a public figure [9] [7].
6. The Macron couple’s response and strategy
Emmanuel Macron has publicly denounced the allegations as fabricated scenarios and misogynistic attacks; Brigitte Macron pursued defamation actions in French courts and, after international amplification, the presidential couple sued an American influencer in the United States in 2025 to challenge continued spread of the claims [10] [2]. Their legal strategy demonstrates both a push to stop the spread of falsehoods and to challenge monetised or high‑profile amplifiers [11].
7. How to interpret the record: evidence vs. amplification
The available reporting and fact‑checks consistently treat the claim as unfounded and point to legal rulings and media coverage that address defamation and freedom of expression rather than corroborating any transgender identity for Brigitte Macron [1] [3] [2]. Multiple outlets stress that the rumour’s persistence owes more to online virality and political motive than to verifiable evidence [6] [7].
Limitations: reporting cited here stops short of exhaustive court documents or medical records, and the legal process continued into appeals as of mid‑2025 [8] [3]. Available sources do not mention any credible journalistic or medical proof that Brigitte Macron is transgender.