On July 29, a Georgian-language Facebook user known for frequently spreading false information, lawyer Irakli Zakareishvili, published a photo claiming to depict France’s First Lady, Brigitte Macron, in her youth. The photo shows Macron topless. In the comments, Zakareishvili denies that the photo is digitally altered and claims that Macron is transgender.
The same photo, with claims that Brigitte Macron was previously a man named Michel Tronier, was also shared by a Russian-speaking user on August 1.
The circulated photo is altered with Brigitte Macron’s face digitally inserted in it. Speculations about the gender of France’s First Lady are conspiratorial, have been spreading for years, and aim to discredit her and Emmanuel Macron.
The authentic version of the photo, in color, can be found on commercial visual material platforms such as Shutterstock, Alamy, Dreamstime . The photo was taken by photographer Elena Rustova and published as “skinny man with pirsing in eyebrow standing at the wall.”
Upon examining the photos, identical spots can be seen on the wall, and shadows are visible on the model’s body. The features are also identical. Additionally, in the fake version circulated on Facebook, the ear looks unnatural, further confirming that the photo is altered and Brigitte Macron’s face is digitally inserted in it.
Brigitte and Emmanuel Macron have repeatedly been targets of conspiracy theories related to gender and sexual orientation. In 2021, false claims that the First Lady of France is transgender were rampant. Previously, during the 2017 presidential campaign, Emmanuel Macron had to deny accusations that he was gay. The age difference between the president and his wife has also been the subject of criticism multiple times.
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