Brigitte Macron appeals court decision clearing women who claimed she was born a man

Brigitte Macron, the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, is pleading with the country’s highest appeals court.

On Thursday, a lower appeals court tossed out a conviction against two women whom Macron filed libel cases against after they proliferated rumors about her gender. It has long been speculated that Macron is actually a man by the name of Jean-Michel Trogneux – her brother.

Amandine Roy is a self-proclaimed medium, and she interviewed independent journalist Natacha Rey regarding the rumor. The four-hour video went up on Roy’s YouTube channel, where Rey made claims of a “state lie” and “scam,” saying he allegedly uncovered a conspiracy in which Trogneux transitioned to female and became the person known as Brigitte Macron.

The video went viral and quickly caught the attention of Macron, who filed lawsuits against the two women. In September, she saw a legal victory when a lower court ordered the women to pay damages to Macron and her brother, to the tune of 13,000 Euros (about $15,164.95).

Roy and Rey appealed the decision, resulting in the Thursday decision.

“Judges sitting at the Paris Appeal Court ruled that Amandine Roy, a 53-year-old clairvoyant, and Natacha Rey, 49 and a blogger, had every legal right to make the sulphurous allegations,” the Daily Mail reported. “Both had claimed they were subjected to ‘intimidation by the authorities’ as ‘ultra protected’ members of the Paris establishment tried to cover up a ‘state secret’.”

“Lawyers for Ms Macron, 72, in turn indicated that she was ‘devastated’ by the development, and would be taking the case to France’s Cassation Court.”