Brigitte Macron plans to take legal action over rumours circulated on Twitter that she was born as a man, according to French media.

This month, claims spread across the social media platform that the first lady of France was born as a man named Jean-Michel Trogneux.

The 63-year-old wife of French president Emmanuel Macron will now sue the instigators of the conspiracy theory, Paris-based newspaper Le Figaro reported.

For several days in mid-December, the hashtag #JeanMichelTrogneux was trending in France on Twitter, according to the newspaper.

The rumour started when right-wing journal Faits et Documents published an article in September claiming it had conducted a three-year investigation into Ms Macron and that its theory was supported by many experts, French outlet CNews reported.

It is not the first time high-profile political women have been dogged by false rumours surrounding their sex.

Unsubstantiated claims have circulated online that former US First Lady Michelle Obama was born a man, with the name Michael Lavaughn Robinson.

New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern has also reportedly been a victim of conspiracy theories about her sex.

Related posts:

WHO calls for ban on sale of live wild mammals in food markets At 1am in Israel, my children are asleep. For those in Gaza, it’s a different story British forces returning to Afghanistan ‘not on the cards’, says defence secretary ‘Was it worth it?’: Afghanistan veteran who lost both legs says Taliban takeover is ‘devastating’ Situation at Kabul airport ‘stabilising’, Raab says, as crowds try to flee Afghanistan Are they having a bubble? Italy moves to block Croatia as Prosecco row fizzes over Nicki Minaj’s COVID-19 vaccine ‘swollen testicles’ claim is false, says Trinidad health minister China says AUKUS submarine deal ‘highly irresponsible’ and ‘intensifies the arms race’ Russian murdered Chechen man in Berlin on orders from Moscow, court rules Meat production linked to 75,000 premature deaths due to air pollution Islamic State fighters murder sleeping Iraqi soldiers during raid on barracks Police play cat and mouse with would-be stowaways hoping to make it to Britain