"Defamation charges dropped against women who said French First Lady Brigitte Macron was a man."

"Defamation charges dropped against women who said French First Lady Brigitte Macron was a man."

Two women who alleged that Brigitte Macron was born a man have been exonerated of defamation after a French appeals court determined that their statements were protected under free speech rights.

This conspiracy theory, promoted by Natacha Rey, a self-identified journalist, and Amandine Roy, a clairvoyant, gained popularity within American conspiracy communities.

Last year, Brigitte Macron and her brother, Jean-Michel Trogneux, filed charges against the women. In September, a court found Rey and Roy guilty of defamation, imposing fines of €8,000 to Mrs. Macron and €5,000 to her brother.

However, on July 10, the Paris court of appeal reversed the conviction. The court ruled that the 18 video segments cited by Mrs. Macron’s legal team did not fulfill the criteria for defamation and were instead safeguarded by the principles of “good faith” and free expression. The court did not address the veracity of the claims.

In a four-hour YouTube video released in 2021, Rey and Roy characterized Mrs. Macron as a “swindle,” “deception,” and “state lie,” while sharing images of her and her family.

Jean Ennochi, Mrs. Macron's lawyer, expressed disappointment with the ruling, stating, “I will discuss with my clients, but obviously we do not agree.”

Conversely, the defendants' lawyers celebrated the outcome. “We’re acquitted,” declared Maud Marian, representing Ms. Roy. François Danglehant, lawyer for Ms. Rey, remarked, “Natacha Rey was hunted, persecuted, condemned — but ultimately acquitted.”

Unfounded rumors regarding Mrs. Macron’s gender have circulated on French social media since 2017. These rumors resurfaced this year when American far-right commentator Candace Owens promoted them in a video titled “Becoming Brigitte: An Introduction,” claiming, “When I said I would stake my entire professional career on the fact that Brigitte Macron was born a man, of course many people did not believe me because it sounds crazy.”

This ruling represents a setback for Mrs. Macron, who initiated legal proceedings in 2021 to combat the ongoing conspiracy theory.