French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, are preparing to take an extraordinary step in their defamation case against U.S. conservative commentator Candace Owens, pledging to present both photographic and scientific evidence in court to disprove allegations about Brigitte’s gender.

The high-profile lawsuit centers on false claims promoted by Owens, who suggested that Brigitte Macron had been born male—allegations that the couple have condemned as baseless and deeply damaging. The Macrons’ lawyer, Tom Clare, told the BBC’s Fame Under Fire podcast that Brigitte had found the rumors “incredibly upsetting” and that they had become a needless distraction for the French president.

Clare explained that while President Macron continues to focus on leading the country, the smear campaign had inevitably taken an emotional toll. “Just like anybody who is juggling a career and a family life, when your family is under attack, it wears on you. And he’s not immune from that because he’s the president of a country,” Clare said.

In the upcoming proceedings, the couple intends to put forward expert testimony “scientific in nature” to directly refute Owens’ claims. Although Clare declined to specify what type of medical or biological evidence would be presented, he confirmed that the Macrons were fully committed to providing proof “both generically and specifically” that the allegations are false.

“It is incredibly upsetting to think that you have to go and subject yourself to this type of proof,” Clare said, acknowledging the personal discomfort involved. “But she’s willing to do it. She is firmly resolved to do what it takes to set the record straight.”

The case is being closely watched in France and abroad, not only because of its unusual subject matter but also for the precedent it could set in tackling online misinformation and defamation targeting public figures. Owens’ legal team has filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, but the Macrons remain determined to press forward.

For Brigitte Macron, the willingness to submit to such invasive scrutiny underscores her determination to put an end to persistent rumors that have circulated online for years. “If that unpleasantness and discomfort is what it takes to stop this, she’s 100% ready to meet that burden,” Clare said.

The defamation trial promises to test the boundaries of privacy, dignity, and truth in the digital age, with France’s first couple making clear they intend to fight misinformation head-on, even if it means turning over some of the most personal forms of evidence to a U.S. court.