First Lady of France appears on tax portal with male gender marker
Photo: French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron (Getty Images)
France’s First Lady, Brigitte Macron, mistakenly appeared on the country’s official tax portal under a male name, Jean-Michel. The Élysée Palace has taken the incident seriously and launched an investigation, according to Caliber, La Libre, and other media outlets.
According to media reports citing a BFMTV documentary, Tristan Bomme, chief of staff to France’s First Lady, commented on the incident. In the program’s preview, he explained that the issue was discovered in September 2024 during a routine audit of Brigitte Macron’s tax records.
"Like many French citizens, Mrs. Macron logged into her personal account on the tax website. She accessed the system and saw that it did not display the name Brigitte Macron but instead showed Jean-Michel Macron," Bomme said.
The documentary clarifies that the error was not caused by a technical glitch, but rather by unauthorized interference.
The Élysée Palace treated the matter seriously. The First Lady filed an official complaint, and investigators have reportedly identified two individuals suspected of manipulating the data.
Rumors about Brigitte Macron's gender
Speculation that Brigitte Macron was "born a man" first emerged in 2022. She later filed a defamation lawsuit against journalist Natacha Rey and media outlet Amandine Roy, which had spread the conspiracy theory. In September 2024, both were fined €13,500.
For several years, Brigitte Macron has been actively combating disinformation. The Macrons have also filed a complaint against US commentator Candace Owens. According to French media, to put an end to the rumors once and for all, the First Lady plans to undergo a genetic test to confirm her female biological identity.
Brigitte Macron’s life story has inspired the French production company Gaumont to create a six-episode series titled "Brigitte, A Free Woman."
Earlier, French tabloids also reported that Brigitte Macron allegedly slapped her husband, President Emmanuel Macron, during their trip to Vietnam, an unverified rumor that quickly went viral online.
