In July, French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, initiated a defamation lawsuit against U.S. alt-right podcaster Candace Owens. The legal action stems from accusations that Owens has spearheaded a social media campaign promoting the unfounded claim that Brigitte Macron is transgender, alleging she was born male and named Jean Michel Trogneux—after her brother. This claim, which first gained traction in 2021 during the lead-up to France’s presidential election, has drawn considerable attention due to its sensationalist nature and the credibility crisis currently plaguing political figures.
The allegation against Owens highlights the extent to which misinformation can proliferate, capitalizing on disreputable narratives to achieve personal fame and financial gain. Her podcast, “Becoming Brigitte,” has garnered millions of views, feeding into a broader culture of disinformation that regards political leaders as inherently duplicitous. This environment is receptive to “tranvestigations,” a phenomenon where individuals scrutinize public figures for perceived hidden transgender identities, often targeting prominent women like Michelle Obama and Kamala Harris. These campaigns not only rely on discredited assertions but also exploit societal notions of deceit and power dynamics within the political landscape.
According to Lexi Webster, an academic specializing in digital culture, the rise of tranvestigations can be attributed to the nature of social media platforms, which encourage users to dissect images and behaviors of celebrities obsessively. This analysis ranges from physical traits to body language, all coupled with speculative theories that cater to a conspiratorial mindset. The ease with which these narratives can spread is exacerbated by the involvement of bots and a loud right-wing online presence, which plays a significant role in disseminating these falsehoods, often amplifying them through repetition and engagement.
Despite the lack of factual basis for the claims surrounding Brigitte Macron, the reach of these narratives continues to grow. For example, in early July, a concocted video falsely purporting to be a news report circulated widely, alleging that a surgeon planned to reveal details about Brigitte’s purported gender reassignment surgery before mysteriously falling to his death. Investigations revealed that the footage was repurposed from previous events and that no records existed of the surgeon in question, indicating a deliberate fabrication aimed at sensationalizing the story.
The persistence of these conspiracy theories can often exploit anecdotal evidence and historical context. For example, the video claimed connections to past incidents involving Brigitte Macron’s privacy, thus reinforcing ideas that politicians are manipulative regarding their appearances. This relationship between past claims and current conspiracies often contributes to the durability of misinformation, as the public may be inclined to believe narratives that fit into pre-existing biases or fears.
Despite legal actions taken by the Macron couple, experts like Webster suggest that such measures may not significantly alter the trajectory of these claims. The nature of online misinformation is such that even definitive counter-evidence, such as a birth certificate, would likely be dismissed as fraudulent by conspiracy theorists. This suggests that the battle against misinformation might extend beyond legal frameworks, challenging society to reconsider how it engages with and disseminates information on digital platforms, particularly regarding public figures.
