Brigitte Macron, the first lady of France, has apologized for comments she made that were widely interpreted as insults toward feminists who oppose rape. The apology follows a series of events at a stand-up comedy show by comedian Ari Abittan.
On December 6, activists disrupted Abittan’s performance by wearing masks reading “rapist.” This action aimed to remind the comedian of his past sexual assault allegations from 2021, which were dropped in 2023 due to lack of evidence.
Macron had been accused of making public remarks that insulted feminists who oppose rape. At a separate event on December 7, she attended Abittan’s show with her daughter. During the performance, Abittan admitted he was “scared” of potential disruptions at a second showing. In response to his concern, Macron stated: “If there are any dirty bitches there, we will kick them out.”
In an apology statement, Macron said: “I apologize if I offended the women who were victims of [sexual violence] … I am the president’s wife, but I am also on my own, and in private I can afford inappropriate behavior. People have the right to speak and think freely.” She later emphasized that her remarks were made privately.
