France, Nov. 24 -- Claims that Brigitte Macron is a transgender woman first emerged online in 2021 and have since gone viral. "Two billion people have been exposed to this story in French and 2.5 billion in English," says investigative journalist Thomas Huchon.
"I'vebeenworkingonconspiracytheoriesand fake news for morethan 10 years, and I've neverseensomethinglikethat,"saysHuchon,whospecialisesinmisinformation.
"Whetherthatbeon the topic, the magnitude of thereachof the audience, of the impactithas on French society and Frenchpolitics,we'veneverseensuch crazyfake newshavingsuch awideand important impact."
Flora Bolter, an expert in LGBTQI+ issues at the Fondation Jean-Jaures think tank, describes it as a "perfect storm" of trends, pointi...