Beg gay Scientology: How Michelle LeClair got out

WHEN I CAME OUT AS GAY, THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY HUIATED ME
THE LBIAN WHO OUTED SCIENTOLOGY’S HOMOPHOBIAFIGHTING BACKMICHELLE LECLAIR CLAIMS THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY, WHICH SHE GAVE AROUND $5 LN TO AS A MEMBER, VICLY TURNED ON HER AFTER SHE ME OUT. THE CHURCH NI HER STORY.TIM TEEMANSENR EDOR AND WRERUPDATED SEP. 25, 2018 7:51AM EDT / PUBLISHED SEP. 25, 2018 4:43AM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY LYNE LUCIEN/THE DAILY BEASTONE OF MICHELLE LECLAIR’S TW CHILDREN, AGED ALMOST 10, WROTE A RECENT CLASS PROJECT, “I WANT TO BE A LAWYER SO I N FIGHT FOR MY FAY.”LECLAIR, 45, TEARED UP RELLG THIS TO THE DAILY BEAST, AND WASN’T THE ONLY TIME SHE WOULD DO SO AN TERVIEW WHICH SHE TOLD HER LONG AND PLITED STORY ABOUT BEG GAY AND FEELG PERSECUTED BY THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY, WHERE SHE WAS A MEMBER FOR OVER 20 YEARS, OM AGE 18 TO 40.THE CHURCH NI ANY NOTN THAT IS HOMOPHOBIC, AND CLAIMS LECLAIR IS “MANUFACTURG NTROVERSI TO DIVERT ATTENTN OM THE FACT THAT SHE BILKED LNS OF DOLLARS” OM VTORS A PONZI SCHEME.IN HER REVEALG BOOK PERFECTLY CLEAR: ESPG SCIENTOLOGY AND FIGHTG FOR THE WOMAN I LOVE (BERKLEY, $27, WRTEN WH ROB GABY FISHER), LECLAIR TELLS THE STORY OF A CHURCH THAT, SHE CLAIMED, DID NOT SEEK TO HELP HER PE OM WHAT SHE ALLEG WAS AN ABIVE HETEROSEXUAL MARRIAGE; AND ONE WHICH ALLEGEDLY TURNED AGAST HER WHEN SHE MA CLEAR SHE WAS LOVE WH TENA, THE WOMAN SHE FELL FOR. COURTY OF MICHELLE LECLAIR THE “WCH-HUNT” AGAST HER (LECLAIR’S WORDS) BEGAN AFTER SHE LEFT THE CHURCH 2012, AFTER SHE SAYS SOUGHT TO DISURAGE HER OM BEG GAY WH HOSTILE “DG” UNSELG SSNS, WHICH SHE WAS ALLEGEDLY TOLD BY A CHURCH UNSELOR THAT SHE WOULD LOSE EVERYTHG, PERSONALLY AND PROFSNALLY, IF SHE WAS GAY AND A RELATNSHIP WH A WOMAN.SHE TIMAT SHE END UP GIVG $5 LN TO THE CHURCH.“I DON’T KNOW HOW THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY N E OUT AND SAY ’S NOT HOMOPHOBIC,” LECLAIR TOLD THE DAILY BEAST. “IF THEY DON’T AGREE WH GAY RELATNSHIPS THEY SHOULD LET PEOPLE KNOW BEFORE THEY JO THE CHURCH. THEY ARE APPLYG THEIR VERSN OF GAY NVERSN THERAPY.“I N ONLY TELL YOU FOR ME BEG GAY WAS NEVER AN OPTN SI THE CHURCH, EVEN WHEN I THOUGHT I WAS A BIG ENOUGH DONOR AND HIGH ENOUGH THE CHURCH. I THOUGHT I ULD BRG THE CHURCH TO THE 21ST CENTURY AND BE A RABOW-FLAG WAVG SCIENTOLOGIST. THEY WERE NOT HAVG .” ‘HOMOSEXUALS GET SICK EASILY. THEY GET AIDS... IS THAT THE GROUP YOU WANT TO BE PART OF?’AS LECLAIR TOLD NBC’S MEGYN KELLY, SHE ORIGALLY JOED THE CHURCH, FOLLOWG HER MOTHER, AFTER A BAD R ACCINT. SHE MARRIED HER NOW EX-HBAND AT 21, AND THEY HAD FOUR CHILDREN. SHE SAID THAT SHE WAS FIRST OUTED AS A LBIAN A REPORT TO THE CHURCH’S “ETHICS PARTMENT,” AFTER YEARS OF “DG,” A KD OF -HOE PSYCHOLOGIL UNSELG. ONE ETHICS OFFICER TOLD HER, SHE WR THE BOOK: “‘GAY’ IS A PSYCH TERM THAT MAK HOMOSEXUALY LS OF A CRIME. HOMOSEXUALS GET SICK EASILY. THEY GET AIDS. THEY NNOT PROCREATE. MANY HAVE MTED CRIM OF SEXUAL VIANCE. YOU DON’T KNOW ONE BEE THEY HI THEIR CRIM. IS THAT THE GROUP YOU WANT TO BE PART OF?”NO, LECLAIR RELLED REPLYG, HER EY WELLG WH TEARS. SHE CLAIMS THE MALE ETHICS OFFICERS WAS MORE TERTED HER FILY WH ANOTHER WOMAN THAN HER NOW EX-HBAND’S ALLEGED FILY WH ANOTHER WOMAN. “DO YOU FANTASIZE ABOUT WOMEN WHEN YOU MASTURBATE?” THE ETHICS OFFICER ASKED LECLAIR. “WHAT EXACTLY IS YOUR FANTASY?”THAT ETHICS OFFICER TOLD LECLAIR SHE HAD A CHOICE. “DID I REALLY WANT TO BE PART OF A DAMNED CULTURE, ONE PRONE TO PROMISCUY, AIDS AND A LIFETIME OF SICKNS AND MISERY?”SHE SAID A CHURCH OFFICIAL SAID THAT THE CHURCH WOULD NOT ACCEPT , THAT SHE WOULD NOT HAVE A NORMAL LIFE, THAT HER KIDS WOULD END UP GETTG SICK, AND HER BS WOULD FAIL. THIS WAS TERRIBLY HARD FOR LECLAIR TO HEAR: AS A SCIENTOLOGIST, SHE SCRIB THE BOOK HOW ENGAGED FOR A LONG TIME SHE WAS WH THE SIRED PATH FOR MEMBERS ON "THE BRIDGE TO TOTAL FREEDOM" TO REACH "CLEAR"—THE MOST POSIVE PSYCHOLOGIL STATE.IN THEIR UNSELG SSNS, LECLAIR WR, SHE HAD TO PROMISE TO HER NOW EX-HBAND THAT SHE “WOULD BE A GOOD HETEROSEXUAL WIFE,” MAKE A LIST OF POLICI TO PREVENT THE SAME TRANSGRSN (OF HAVG SAME-SEX RELATNS) AGA; “AVOID ALL ASSOCIATN WH HOMOSEXUALS”; AND “SEEK FIVENS” OM HETEROSEXUAL SCIENTOLOGISTS.”THIS, AT THE TIME, SHE DID.A SPOKPERSON FOR THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY NIED LECLAIR’S ACUNTS. “MS. LECLAIR’S FALSE CLAIMS THAT THE CHURCH KNEW ABOUT AND IGNORED SPOAL ABE BY HER HBAND ARE BELIED BY THE CHURCH’S POLICY TO REPORT SUCH ABE. THAT THE CHURCH FORBA MS. CLAIR OM DIVORCG AN ABIVE SPOE IS RIDICULO. DIVORCE IS NO LS MON SCIENTOLOGY THAN THE GENERAL POPULATN.”HER EX-HBAND NIED ALL THE ACCATNS LECLAIR MA ABOUT HIS BEHAVR AND THEIR MARRIAGE AN TERVIEW WH THE DAILY BEAST. THEY MET 1992, MARRIED 1994, SEPARATED 2008, AND WERE FALLY DIVORCED 2010.HE SAID HE HAD NOT READ THE BOOK, BUT CLAIMED HE HAD NEVER PHYSILLY OR EMOTNALLY ABED LECLAIR.“NOTHG ULD BE FURTHER OM THE TTH, THOSE STORI AREN’T TE AT ALL,” HE SAID.HE ALSO SAID THE CHURCH HAD NOT FORCED THEM TO STAY MARRIED ANY WAY. THE UNSELG SSNS HAD BEEN OPEN-MD, AND AT THE END OF EVERY ONE THEY HAD CID TO STAY TOGETHER, HE SAID.HE CLAIMED HIS EX-WIFE’S BOOK AND PUBLICY IS “JT A SE. SHE IS TRYG TO E THE #METOO MOVEMENT TO HELP SAL OF THE BOOK. SHE IS TRYG TO GET PEOPLE TO FEEL SORRY FOR HER. IT’S THE ONLY REASON I N THK OF THAT SHE IS BRGG THE FALSE ALLEGATNS UP.”IN RPONSE, LECLAIR SAID: “I’VE NEVER KNOWN AN ABER WHO ADMS TO THE ABE OR WHO DON’T FLECT BLAME ONTO HIS VICTIMS.” IN 2012, SHE WAS GRANTED A RTRAG ORR AGAST HER EX-HBAND.WHEN SHE FALLY FELL LOVE WH A WOMAN, LECLAIR SAYS HER RELATNSHIP WH TENA (LLED CHARLEY THE BOOK) WAS EXPOSED TO FELLOW MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH. SHE DON’T KNOW HOW NEWS OF HER RELATNSHIP WH TENA WAS LEAKED.FOR A WHILE AFTER HER G OUT, LECLAIR SAID, THE CHURCH SEEMED OK WH HER. ANOTHER WOMAN APPROACHED LECLAIR TO SAY SHE HAD SPIRED HER TO TELL HER OWN HBAND THAT SHE WAS GAY.THEN LECLAIR DISVERED A REPORT HAD BEEN WRTEN ON HER, SAYG SHE HAD TRIED TO “NVERT” THAT WOMAN TO A LBIAN.LECLAIR SAYS THIS IS A TOTAL LIE; THAT YOUNG WOMAN, SHE WR, WAS ORRED TO BE “CURED” AT FLAG, THE SPIRUAL HEADQUARTERS OF THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY CLEARWATER, FLORIDA.LECLAIR WAS THEN TAKEN “TO SSN,” AND “MA TO READ POLICI ON WHAT L. RON HUBBARD SAID. YOU ARE MA TO BELIEVE YOU ARE THE WRONG BODY, THE WRONG LIFETIME. THERE HAD TO BE SOMETHG WRONG THE MARRIAGE, OR I HAD DONE SOMETHG WRONG TO THE OPPOSE SEX TO HAVE AN ATTRACTN TO THE SAME SEX. YOU FEEL SO GRAD.“THERE IS SO MUCH QUTNG WH OURSELV AS GAY PEOPLE THAT YOU BELIEVE YOU ARE DOG SOMETHG WRONG.”ORIGALLY, LECLAIR HAD BELIEVED THE CHURCH AND HER LOVE FOR TENA. SHE THOUGHT SHE ULD “HAVE ALL.” NOW SHE THKS SHE WAS NAïVE, BUT AT THE TIME SHE THOUGHT SHE HAD “LOOKED GOOD” FOR THE ROLE THE CHURCH WANTED HER TO PLAY, AS A SPOKPERSON FOR YOUTH FOR HUMAN RIGHTS. SHE DONATED A LOT OF MONEY TO THE CHURCH.LECLAIR DON’T KNOW IF WAS DIVE TERVENTN OR THE FACT THAT HER LOVE WAS SO STRONG FOR TENA, BUT WAS “A LIGHTNG BOLT” THAT WOKE HER UP. COURTY OF MICHELLE LECLAIR “I HAVE LEARNED THERE IS AN STCTUAL GUTTURAL FEELG WE HAVE AS HUMAN BEGS, AND WHEN YOU DON’T FOLLOW THAT YOUR GUT YOU MAKE SOME WRONG CHOIC. AT THAT TIME, MY GUT WAS TELLG ME TO N OM THE CHURCH AND N TO TENA, AND WAS THE BT CISN I EVER MA.”SHE SAID SHE MA THE MISTAKE OF TELLG HER FORMER BS PARTNER DROR SOREF ABOUT HER SAME-SEX RELATNSHIP; SHE SPECTS SOREF AND/OR HIS WIFE TOLD THE CHURCH ABOUT HER SEXUALY. (IN AN TERVIEW WH THE DAILY BEAST, SOREF NIED ALL THE ALLEGATNS LECLAIR MAK AGAST HIM.)LECLAIR SAID SHE WAS TOLD THAT IF SHE LEFT THE CHURCH SHE WOULD GET NCER, OR SUFFER R ACCINTS, THAT SOMEHOW THEY UNIVERSE WOULD ATTACK HER IF SHE EVER LEFT SCIENTOLOGY.A CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY SPOKPERSON WOULD NOT ADDRS LECLAIR’S SPECIFIC ALLEGATNS OF THE CHURCH’S ANTI-GAY SPEECH AND ACTNS TOWARDS HER.A SPOKPERSON SAID, “IT SHOULD BE CLEAR THAT WE DISPUTE WHAT SHE IS NTENDG, BUT WE ELECT NOT TO BE DIVERTED BY WHAT IS A TOTAL RED HERRG ON HER PART.”THE CHURCH MEANT THAT, FOR THEM, THE FOC SHOULD BE ON LECLAIR’S LEGAL PROSECUTN, NOT S ATTU TO LGBT PEOPLE. IT EVEN SENT THE DAILY BEAST A TAILED TIMELE OF LECLAIR’S LEGAL TRAVAILS, AS WELL AS A LLECTN OF URT DOCUMENTS RELATG TO , WHICH HAD PILED.LECLAIR CLAIMS THAT AFTER SHE LEFT THE CHURCH, SHE WAS FOLLOWED. ONE DAY, THERE WAS A WOMAN STG A VAN OUTSI HER HOE. HER MOTHER ASKED THE WOMAN WHAT SHE WAS DOG. THE WOMAN SAID SHE WAS A CLEANER ON A LUNCH BREAK. BUT LECLAIR SAYS SHE WAS FACT OM SOME KD OF UNSPECIFIED “VTIGATORY OFFICE.”“CAN I TELL YOU SHE WAS OM THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY? I NNOT, BUT HAVG ED SIAR TACTICS AGAST OTHER PEOPLE I N ONLY MAKE THAT ASSUMPTN,” SAID LECLAIR.FROM THE FIRST TIME SHE WAS RAID BY POLICE 2014, LECLAIR WR HER BOOK, “MY LIFE UNSPOOLED AS IF I WERE A CHARACTER A SPENSE NOVEL. STRANGE RS IDLE AT THE CURB OUTSI MY HOME AT ALL HOURS OF THE DAY. MEN WEARG DARK GLASS FOLLOW ME TO THE GROCERY STORE, THE AIRPORT AND MY KIDS’ SCHOOL. MY PUTER AND PHONE HAVE BEEN HACKED.”THE CHURCH VOCIFEROLY NI HAD ANY VOLVEMENT ANY SUCH ACTIVI, AS DO THE DIVIDUAL NAMED BY THE PSDONYM “CELTE” THE BOOK, A SCIENTOLOGIST WHO WAS LECLAIR’S ASSISTANT AND WHOM LECLAIR SPECTED OF ACTG AS A SPY FOR THE CHURCH.THE CHURCH SENT THE DAILY BEAST A STATEMENT OM JOSEFA DOB, THE ASSISTANT KNOWN AS “CELTE” THE BOOK, NYG DOG ANYTHG NEFAR WHILE SHE WAS LECLAIR’S ASSISTANT. DOB ALSO NIED THAT THE CHURCH WAS ANTI-GAY TOWARDS LECLAIR. SHE NSIRED LECLAIR’S PORTRA OF HER “FALSE AND FAMATORY.”“I FEEL LIKE MY LIFE WAS STOLEN,” SAID LECLAIR OF HER TIME SCIENTOLOGY. “I’M NOT FORMALLY TED. I MA THE CISN, THROUGH THE PRSURE OF THE CHURCH, TO BE TED BY THE CHURCH. I FEEL THAT IF I WAS BETTER TED I WOULD NOT HAVE MA SOME OF THE CISNS I MA MY LIFE.“I FEEL THE OPPORTUNY TO EXPLORE MY SEXUALY WAS STOLEN OM ME, AND I FEEL I WAS FORCED TO LIVE A HETEROSEXUAL LIFE WHICH BEME EXTREMELY ABIVE. I FELT THE CHURCH NDONED THE ABE, AND DID NOTHG ABOUT THAT ABE WHEN I BEGGED FOR THEIR HELP. I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO GO TO THE POLICE, AND NOT ALLOWED TO GO SEE A PSYCHIATRIST. I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO DO ANYTHG TO PROTECT MYSELF OUTSI OF WHAT THE CHURCH OFFERED.” “I WOULD SAY, ‘RUN AS FAR AS YOU N.’ THIS IS NOT A CHURCH. WHETHER YOU ARE GAY OR STRAIGHT, DO NOT SET FOOT NEAR PEOPLE ON THE SIWALK ASKG YOU TO DO STRS OR PERSONALY TTS.” “I FEEL THE CHURCH DID MANY THGS TO ME. IT’S IMPORTANT TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT THIS IS A GROUP THAT WILL NSUME YOUR ENTIRE LIFE, AND PH OUT ANYONE ON THE OUTSI THAT IS HELPG YOU SEE CLEARLY.”NOW, SHE SAID, THERE IS NOTHG MORE SHE N DO OTHER THAN TELL HER STORY, AND HOPE TO SPIRE OTHERS, PECIALLY LGBT PEOPLE WHO, IF THEY ARE NSIRG JOG THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY, SHE REMENDS: “I WOULD SAY, ‘RUN AS FAR AS YOU N.’ THIS IS NOT A CHURCH. “WHETHER YOU ARE GAY OR STRAIGHT, DO NOT SET FOOT NEAR PEOPLE ON THE SIWALK ASKG YOU TO DO STRS OR PERSONALY TTS. I THK ADULTS SHOULD TELL CHILDREN WHEN THEY ARE YOUNG NOT JT NOT TO TALK TO STRANGERS, BUT ALSO ABOUT CULTS AND THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY.” ‘WE ARE OUTRAGED BY HER ATTEMPT TO SLANR THE CHURCH’“MICHELLE LECLAIR’S STORY IS PURE FICTN OM A SM ARTIST,” A SPOKPERSON OM THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY TOLD THE DAILY BEAST. “WE ARE OUTRAGED BY HER ATTEMPT TO SLANR THE CHURCH BY FALSELY STATG THAT SHE WAS DISCRIMATED AGAST BEE OF HER HOMOSEXUALY. “IT IS WELL-KNOWN THAT THE CHURCH TAK NO POSN ON SEXUAL ORIENTATN AND MS. LECLAIR’S CLAIMS ARE PLETELY VENTED. IF YOU ARE GOG TO FORWARD SUCH CLAIMS, THERE ARE OTHER RELIGNS WHO DO TAKE A STRONG POSN ON THE SUBJECT, BUT THIS IS JT NOT OUR ISSUE AT ALL. THE FACT THAT THE CHURCH HAD ANY ISSUE WH HER SEXUALY IS UNTE.”IN A FURTHER STATEMENT SENT TO THE DAILY BEAST, A SPOKPERSON FOR THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY SAID, “THE CHURCH IS NOT HOMOPHOBIC. IT STRONGLY PO HUMAN RIGHTS FOR ALL DIVIDUALS, REGARDLS OF RACE, FAH, NATNALY, OR SEXUAL PREFERENCE.”HOWEVER, THE SPOKPERSON WOULD NOT CLARIFY THE CHURCH’S VIEWS ON SPECIFIC LGBT-RELATED ISSU WHEN ASKED BY THE DAILY BEAST TO SUBSTANTIATE WHAT THIS GENERAL STATEMENT PRECISELY, AND PRACTILLY, ENTAILED. A SPOKPERSON CLED TO MENT ON WHETHER THE CHURCH SPECIFILLY SUPPORTED MARRIAGE EQUALY FOR LGBT PEOPLE, ANTI-DISCRIMATN PROVISNS FOR LGBT PEOPLE, FERAL OR STATE BANS ON NVERSN THERAPY, AND WHETHER LGBT UPL SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO FOSTER OR ADOPT CHILDREN. INSTEAD, REFERRED A REPORTER TWICE TO THE CHURCH’S GENERAL STATEMENT.A SPOKPERSON FURTHER CLED TO SAY IF THE CHURCH SUPPORTED THE IA AND PRCIPLE OF NVERSN THERAPY.THE CHURCH’S NTENTN THAT IS OPEN TO, AND ACCEPTG OF LGBT, PEOPLE IS STARK NTRAST TO HOW L. RON HUBBARD, THE CHURCH’S FOUNR, SAW LGBT PEOPLE.QUE TO THE NTRARY OF HAVG “NO POSN” ON HOMOSEXUALY, THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY, AT LEAST HISTORILLY, DID—THANKS TO HUBBARD.IN HIS 1951 BOOK SCIENCE OF SURVIVAL, HUBBARD ORIGATED WHAT SCIENTOLOGISTS LL THE “TONE SLE,” BY WHICH PEOPLE’S EMOTNAL HEALTH IS MEASURED. GAY PEOPLE ARE FOUND AT 1.1, BETWEEN “FEAR” (AT 1.0) AND “ANGER” (AT 1.5), AND ALONGSI “THE LEVEL OF THE PERVERT, THE HYPOCRE, THE TURNAT, .. SUBVERSIVE.” 1.1 ALSO HO “GENERAL PROMISCUY.”THE FILM DIRECTOR PL HAGGIS REFERRED TO THIS CLASSIFITN WHEN HE RIGNED OM THE CHURCH PROTT, AFTER THE SAN DIEGO SCIENTOLOGY CHURCH SIGNED AN ONLE PETN 2008 SUPPORT OF PROPOSN 8, WHICH—WHEN PASSED—ACTED AS CALIFORNIA’S -FACTO SAME-SEX MARRIAGE BAN. “OUR PUBLIC ASSOCIATN WH THAT HATE-FILLED LEGISLATN SHAM .” IN A LETTER TO TOMMY DAVIS, THE CHIEF SPOKPERSON FOR THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY INTERNATNAL—QUOTED AN EXTENSIVE FEATURE ON HAGGIS AND THE CHURCH SELF BY LAWRENCE WRIGHT THE NEW YORKER FEBARY 2011—HAGGIS WROTE THAT “PUBLIC SPONSORSHIP OF PROPOSN 8, WHICH SUCCEED TAKG AWAY THE CIVIL RIGHTS OF GAY AND LBIAN CIZENS OF CALIFORNIA—RIGHTS THAT WERE GRANTED THEM BY THE SUPREME COURT OF OUR STATE—IS A STA ON THE TEGRY OF OUR ANIZATN AND A STA ON PERSONALLY. OUR PUBLIC ASSOCIATN WH THAT HATE-FILLED LEGISLATN SHAM .”IN HIS LETTER, HAGGIS ADD: “I FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT THIS FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS. YOU AND I BOTH KNOW THERE HAS BEEN A HIDN ANTI-GAY SENTIMENT THE CHURCH FOR A LONG TIME. I HAVE BEEN SHOCKED ON TOO MANY OCSNS TO HEAR SCIENTOLOGISTS MAKE ROGATORY REMARKS ABOUT GAY PEOPLE, AND THEN QUOTE L.R.H. (L. RON HUBBARD) THEIR FENSE.”HAGGIS, WROTE WRIGHT, HAD ALSO RELATED A STORY ABOUT HIS DGHTER KATY, WHO HAD LOST THE IENDSHIP OF A FELLOW SCIENTOLOGIST AFTER REVEALG THAT SHE WAS A LBIAN.THE IEND TOLD OTHERS, “KATY IS ‘1.1’”—THE NUMBER ON THE TONE SLE, REFERENCED ABOVE BY HUBBARD, WHICH ALSO CLUS GAY PEOPLE.AS WRIGHT (THOR OF GOG CLEAR: SCIENTOLOGY, HOLLYWOOD, AND THE PRISON OF BELIEF) PUT : “A PERSON CLASSIFIED ‘1.1’ WAS, HUBBARD SAID, ‘COVERTLY HOSTILE’—‘THE MOST DANGERO AND WICKED LEVEL’—AND HE NOTED THAT PEOPLE THIS STATE ENGAGED SUCH THGS AS SUAL SEX, SADISM, AND HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVY.”HUBBARD HAD MORE TO SAY ON GAY PEOPLE. IN DIAICS: THE MORN SCIENCE OF MENTAL HEALTH (1950), HE WROTE, “THE SEXUAL PERVERT (AND BY THIS TERM DIAICS, TO BE BRIEF, CLUS ANY AND ALL FORMS OF VIATN DYNAMIC TWO SUCH AS HOMOSEXUALY, LBIANISM, SEXUAL SADISM, ETC., AND ALL DOWN THE TALOG OF ELLIS AND KRAFFT-EBG) IS ACTUALLY QUE ILL PHYSILLY.”IN SCIENCE OF SURVIVAL, HUBBARD SAID THAT “PEOPLE ON THIS LEVEL…ARE TENSELY DANGERO THE SOCIETY, SCE ABERRATN IS NTAG. A SOCIETY WHICH REACH THIS LEVEL IS ON S WAY OUT OF HISTORY, AS WENT THE GREEKS, AS WENT THE ROMANS, AS GO MORN EUROPEAN AND AMERIN CULTURE. HERE IS A FLAMG DANGER SIGNAL WHICH MT BE HEED IF A RACE IS TO GO FORWARD.”“SUCH PEOPLE SHOULD BE TAKEN OM THE SOCIETY AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE AND UNIFORMLY STUTNALIZED; FOR HERE IS THE LEVEL OF THE NTAGN OF IMMORALY, AND THE STCTN OF ETHICS…”HUBBARD NTUED: “THE ONLY ANSWERS WOULD SEEM TO BE THE PERMANENT QUARANTE OF SUCH PERSONS OM SOCIETY TO AVOID THE NTAGN OF THEIR SANI AND THE GENERAL TURBULENCE WHICH THEY BRG TO ANY ORR, TH FORCG LOWER ON THE SLE, OR PROCSG SUCH PERSONS UNTIL THEY HAVE ATTAED A LEVEL ON THE TONE SLE WHICH GIV THEM VALUE.” “WHILE YOU N PARSE THROUGH THE 75 LN WORDS OF MR. HUBBARD’S WRGS AND LECTUR NCERNG HIS OBSERVATNS ON THE HUMAN NDN FOR MATERIAL YOU BELIEVE SUPPORTS ONE POLIL POSN OVER ANOTHER, WOULD BE DISHONT” HUBBARD ADD THAT THOSE, LIKE GAY PEOPLE, HOED OM 2.0 DOWN ON THE TONE SLE, ULD EHER BE RAISED THE NUMBERED CHART “BY UN-ENTURBULATG SOME OF THEIR THETA [ANALOGO TO THE IA OF ONE’S SOUL] BY ANY ONE OF THREE VALID PROCS. THE OTHER IS TO DISPOSE OF THEM QUIETLY AND WHOUT SORROW.” THE DAILY BEAST ASKED THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY IF STILL SUBSCRIBED TO HUBBARD’S ANTI-GAY WRGS, AND IF SO HOW THAT SAT NEXT TO S PROFSED BELIEF TODAY EQUALY.IN RPONSE, A CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY SPOKPERSON NIED THAT HUBBARD WAS HOMOPHOBIC.“WHILE YOU N PARSE THROUGH THE 75 LN WORDS OF MR. HUBBARD’S WRGS AND LECTUR NCERNG HIS OBSERVATNS ON THE HUMAN NDN FOR MATERIAL YOU BELIEVE SUPPORTS ONE POLIL POSN OVER ANOTHER, WOULD BE DISHONT.“IT WOULD BE EQUALLY DISHONT TO EXTRACT OM THE BIBLE EXHORTATNS TO VLENCE AND MURR TO CREATE PREJUDICE AND BIGOTRY AGAST CHRISTIANS. NO RATNAL PERSON WOULD TOLERATE SUCH AN EXERCISE SOPHISTRY. THE SAME SHOULD BE TE WH RPECT TO THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY.“CHURCH POLICY AND PRACTICE ON THIS ISSUE WAS FIRMLY ARTICULATED BY L. RON HUBBARD 1967, WHEN HE WROTE THE FOLLOWG: ‘IT HAS NEVER BEEN ANY PART OF MY PLANS TO REGULATE OR ATTEMPT TO REGULATE THE PRIVATE LIV OF DIVIDUALS. WHENEVER THIS HAS OCCURRED, HAS NOT RULTED ANY IMPROVED NDN. ... THEREFORE: ALL FORMER L, REGULATNS AND POLICI RELATG TO THE [SEXUAL] ACTIVI OF STUNTS, PRECLEARS, STAFF AND SCIENTOLOGISTS ARE NCELLED.’”LECLAIR DISMISSED THE CHURCH’S FENSE OF S ATTUS TO LGBT PEOPLE.“L RON HUBBARD’S WRG ON GAY PEOPLE SPEAKS FOR SELF,” SHE TOLD THE DAILY BEAST A WRTEN STATEMENT. “HUBBARD’S CHART OF HUMAN EVALUATN, THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY’S NUMERIL MEASURE OF ONE’S EMOTNAL STATE, PLAC HOMOSEXUALS AT 1.1. ACRDG TO HUBBARD PEOPLE AT THAT LEVEL ARE NSIRED ‘EVIL AND UNTSTWORTHY, A CRIMAL.’”IN SCIENCE OF SURVIVAL, LECLAIR SAID, HUBBARD WROTE OF “DISPOSG” OF THOSE 1.1 “QUIETLY AND WHOUT SORROW.” THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY’S “FAIR GAME” POLICY ALSO LAYS OUT WHAT TO DO WH ANYONE WHO SPEAKS OUT AGAST THE CHURCH, SHE SAID. “THEY [FECTORS] MAY BE PRIVED OF PROPERTY OR JURED BY ANY MEANS BY ANY SCIENTOLOGIST WHOUT ANY DISCIPLE OF THE SCIENTOLOGIST. MAY BE TRICKED, SUED OR LIED TO OR STROYED.” LECLAIR ADD: “THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY IS BUILT ON LI AND KNOWN FOR S STCTIVE BEHAVR.” LECLAIR AND THE ALLEGED PONZI SCHEMEIN SEPTEMBER 2012, THE DEPARTMENT OF CORPORATNS FILED A CIVIL ACTN AGAST LECLAIR (THEN KNOWN AS MICHELLE SEWARD) AND HER PRODUCG PARTNER, DROR SOREF, FOR STATE SECURI D.TODAY, THE DEPARTMENT OF BS OVERSIGHT (DBO) IS THE SUCCSOR AGENCY TO THE DEPARTMENT OF CORPORATNS. ON JULY 1, 2013, THE DEPARTMENT OF CORPORATNS MERGED WH THE DEPARTMENT OF FANCIAL INSTUTNS TO FORM THE DEPARTMENT OF BS OVERSIGHT. THE DBO TOLD THE DAILY BEAST THAT LECLAIR AND SOREF PROMISED VTORS THAT THEIR MONI WOULD BE VTED MOVIE PROJECTS, CLUDG THE DIRECT-TO-VIO NOT FOTTEN, AND PROMISED STEADY, HIGH-TERT RETURNS. BUT SOME VTORS LOST THEIR LIFE SAVGS THE SCHEME WHEN THE MOVIE PROJECTS FAILED TO MATERIALIZE OR YIELD PROFS, ACRDG TO THE DBO. LECLAIR SAID AN ANONYMO LETTER HAD STARTED THE VTIGATN PROCS TO HER BS; SHE FIRMLY BELIEV WAS OM A SCIENTOLOGIST; THE CHURCH SAID WAS NOT.THE DBO SAID THE SE WAS BASED ON VICTIM PLATS, VTOR DOCUMENTS, AND RERDS OBTAED OM THE FENDANTS THROUGH DISVERY.THE DBO CLAIMED LECLAIR HAD D APPROXIMATELY 100 CALIFORNIANS (MOST OF WHOM WERE SENRS, LIVG ON FIXED ) OUT OF $23.1 LN RETIREMENT SAVGS NNECTN WH THEIR ALLEGED PONZI SCHEME.LECLAIR SAID SHE HAD LOST LNS OF DOLLARS, AND WOULD VOTE THE RT OF HER LIFE TO MAKG SURE HER CLIENTS REUP THEIR LOSS. SHE ADD THAT SHE FEELS THAT THE CHURCH TURNED “SOMETHG THAT HAPPENED MY BS, A MAN TAKG MONEY OM ME, AND MA LOOK AS IF I DID .” IN 2014, THE DBO ENTERED TO A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WH LECLAIR AND SOREF AND BOTH STIPULATED TO A PERMANENT JUNCTN FOR SECURI D AND AGREED TO REPAY $17.4 LN VTOR RTUTN. THE DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE REVOKED LECLAIR’S SURANCE LICENSE.IN SEPTEMBER 2015, THE LOS ANGEL COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE FILED A 72-UNT CRIMAL DICTMENT AGAST LECLAIR AND SOREF. LECLAIR AGREED TO REPAY VTORS $1.2 LN ILL-GOTTEN GAS (MISSNS) AND AGREED TO TTIFY AT TRIAL AGAST HER -FENDANT AND FORMER PRODUCG PARTNER, SOREF, AS PART OF A PLEA AL WH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY.IN NOVEMBER 2016, A JUDGE EMED THE STATE SE AGAST SOREF WAS TIME BARRED UNR THE STATUTE OF LIMATNS. “LECLAIR WAS NOT CLEARED OF ANY CRIMAL CHARG. THE STATUTE OF LIMATNS JT RAN OUT. ANY CLAIM OF NOCENCE BY LECLAIR, OR THAT SHE FOUGHT SUCCSFULLY TO CLEAR HERSELF OF ALL CHARG, HAS NO BASIS FACTS OR THE EVINCE.”— LILA MIRRASHIDI, PUTY MISSNER, POLICY, DEPARTMENT OF BS OVERSIGHT IN EXCHANGE FOR THE STATE DISMISSG S CRIMAL SE AGAST HER, LECLAIR REPAID VTORS $1.2 LN MARCH 2017. THE SAME MONTH THE STATE DISMISSED 70 OF THE 72 CHARG AGAST SOREF BASED ON THE STATUTE OF LIMATNS, AND ANOTHER TWO WERE DROPPED THROUGH LACK OF PROOF OF TENT TO D.LILA MIRRASHIDI, PUTY MISSNER, POLICY, AT THE DBO TOLD THE DAILY BEAST: “LECLAIR WAS NOT CLEARED OF ANY CRIMAL CHARG. THE STATUTE OF LIMATNS JT RAN OUT. ANY CLAIM OF NOCENCE BY LECLAIR, OR THAT SHE FOUGHT SUCCSFULLY TO CLEAR HERSELF OF ALL CHARG, HAS NO BASIS FACTS OR THE EVINCE.“THE NOTN THAT THIS SE HAD ANYTHG TO DO WH SCIENTOLOGY IS PATENTLY FALSE, JT LIKE THE CLAIM SHE MA TO VTORS HER PONZI SCHEME. LECLAIR NNED CALIFORNIANS WHO WERE MOSTLY SENRS OUT OF THEIR LIFE SAVGS AND SHE GOT UGHT.”“THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY HAD NOTHG TO DO WH THE SE,” SAID MIRRASHIDI. “I AM NOT A SCIENTOLOGIST OR NNECTED TO SCIENTOLOGY ANY WAY,” ADD MIRRASHIDI. “ALSO, NO ONE NNECTED TO THIS ENFORCEMENT ACTN OM DBO—CLUDG COMMISSNER OWEN—IS A SCIENTOLOGIST OR HAS ANY NNECTNS TO SCIENTOLOGY. THE CLAIM THAT DBO’S ACTNS THIS SE ARE ROOTED ANYTHG OTHER THAN FULFILLG OUR DUTY TO HOLD LECLAIR ACUNTABLE FOR BREAKG THE LAW AND BRGG JTICE TO HER VICTIMS IS PURE FANTASY.” “IT IS EXTREMELY NCERNG THAT THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF BS OVERSIGHT IS MAKG OUTRIGHT FALSE AND SLANRO STATEMENTS. THE PUBLIC URT RERD SPEAKS FOR SELF.” IN RPONSE, LECLAIR TOLD THE DAILY BEAST: “IT IS EXTREMELY NCERNG THAT THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF BS OVERSIGHT IS MAKG OUTRIGHT FALSE AND SLANRO STATEMENTS. THE PUBLIC URT RERD SPEAKS FOR SELF. I MATAED MY NOCENCE THROUGHOUT THE CRIMAL VTIGATN. “I VOLUNTARILY SUBMTED TO AN EXTENSIVE TERVIEW WH THE LOS ANGEL DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE AND AGREED TO TTIFY AS A WNS FOR THE PROSECUTN. AS A RULT, THE LOS ANGEL DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE DISMISSED ALL CRIMAL CHARG AGAST ME THE TERTS OF JTICE PURSUANT TO PENAL CO 1385. IT SADNS ME THAT AFTER ALL CHARG HAVE BEEN DROPPED, I AM STILL HAVG TO FEND MYSELF. MY EXPERIENC WH THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY ARE WELL DOCUMENTED PERFECTLY CLEAR AND I STAND BY MY ACUNT.”“I’VE NEVER E OUT AND SAID THAT I THK THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY WAS LLN WH THE STATE,” LECLAIR TOLD THE DAILY BEAST AN TERVIEW. “I WANT TO MAKE THAT VERY CLEAR. WHAT I KNOW FOR A FACT, IS THAT THE MOMENT I STARTED A CLOSE RELATNSHIP WH A GAY WOMAN, AN TERNAL VTIGATN WAS STARTED ON ME BY THE CHURCH’S OFFICE OF SPECIAL AFFAIRS (OSA). I WAS PULLED FOR QUTNG, SO WERE MY IENDS.”DID LECLAIR ACCEPT SHE MTED WRONGDOG, THAT SHE WAS GUILTY OF PROFSNAL MISNDUCT, THE DAILY BEAST ASKED HER.“I LOOK AT THAT MOMENT OF MY LIFE EVERY DAY AND FEEL REGRETFUL. I WAS SUCCSFUL ONE DTRY LIFE SURANCE. I GOT MYSELF TED. I SOPPED UP EVERY SGLE THG, AND CREATED AN EXTRA SUCCSFUL BS. I DIDN’T NEED THAT MAN [SOREF].”“I LOST MY BS, MY LIVELIHOOD, MY LICENSE,” LECLAIR TOLD THE DAILY BEAST. “THE MOMENT I HAD ANY SPICN THAT THE MAN WAS DOG SOMETHG WRONG I NTACTED MY CLIENTS IMMEDIATELY. I CREATED A TST FOR THEM AGAST THE ADVICE OF MY UNSEL. I MA SURE THOSE PEOPLE—MY FAY, MY CLIENTS—WERE TAKEN RE OF BEFORE I WAS. I ALSO FOUGHT TO PROVE MY NOCENCE FOR THREE YEARS, AND THE CHARG WERE DISMISSED. I WILL NTUE TO WORK HARD FOR THEM UNTIL THEY ARE PAID, AND THE DAY THEY ARE PAID I WILL HAVE A GREAT NIGHT’S SLEEP.”LECLAIR HOP TO GET HER LIFE SURANCE LICENSE BACK AGA, AND IS ALSO LNCHG A LE OF BETY PRODUCTS.A SPOKPERSON FOR THE CHURCH SAID, “IT IS SHOCKG THAT AN DIVIDUAL WHO NARROWLY PED JAIL TIME FOR MASTERMDG A MULTILN-DOLLAR PONZI SCHEME WOULD BE EMED A CREDIBLE SOURCE. NOT SHOCKG, HOWEVER, IS HER NEW SCHEME TO MOIZE HER LNS AT THE EXPENSE OF HER FORMER RELIGN. SADLY, MS. LECLAIR HAS TURNED THE BTERNS GROWG OUT OF HER FANCIAL MALFEASANCE TO AN EXCE TO SPREAD HATE AND BIGOTRY FOR SH.”SOREF VEHEMENTLY NIED THAT HE WAS RPONSIBLE FOR THE PONZI SCHEME, AND CLAIMED LECLAIR WAS. HE FIRST SENT THE DAILY BEAST A STATEMENT HIS LAWYER, BRYAN ALTMAN, WROTE: “MR. SOREF WAS ABSOLVED OF ALL THE CRIMAL CHARG BEE OF A LACK OF SUFFICIENT PROOF AND BASED ON THE STATUTE OF LIMATNS. “HE HAD NO ROLE ANY OF THE DULENT MISREPRENTATNS MA BY MICHELLE SEWARD OR BY ANYONE ELSE ACTG AT HER DIRECTN TO THE VICTIMS OF HER CRIM. IN EVERY SE WH EVERY VICTIM MR. SOREF HAD NO TERACTN.“MS. SEWARD’S ATTEMPTS TO P HER CRIMAL ACTNS ON MR. SOREF OR TO SOMEHOW TIE THEM TO THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY RG HOLLOW AND ARE SIMPLY SELF-SERVG AND ENTIRELY IMPLSIBLE.”ALTMAN NTUED: “IF, AS MS. SEWARD MATAS, THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY PROMPTED THE CRIMAL VTIGATN TO HER ACTNS AS A RULT OF SOME ALLEGED DISAPPROVAL OF HER LIFTYLE CHOICE OR SEXUAL PREFERENCE, HOW DO YOU EXPLA THE FACT THAT THE EXACT SAME CHARG WERE ALLEGED AGAST MR. SOREF ABOUT WHOM THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY HAS NO NCERN OR TERT?“HOW DO YOU EXPLA THE FACT THAT MS. SEWARD’S DULENT ACTNS AND THE VTIGATN OF THE SAME BEGAN AND NTUED WELL BEFORE SHE DITED ANY SEXUAL PREFERENCE FOR WOMEN TO ANYONE?“IF, AS MS. SEWARD MATAS, THE VTIGATN AND CHARG AROSE OM SOME ACTN ON THE PART OF THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY, HOW DO YOU EXPLA THE FACT THAT NONE OF THE DOZENS OF ELRLY AND FIRM VICTIMS—WHO WERE D BY MS. SEWARD WHO HERSELF RECEIVED LNS OF DOLLARS OM HER DULENT ACTNS—MENTNED THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY ANY OF THEIR STATEMENTS TO VTIGATG THORI OR THEIR TTIMONY URT OR APPEARED TO HAVE ANY NNECTN WHATSOEVER TO THE CHURCH?”SOREF SAID HE WASN’T PRENTLY ATTENDG THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY, BUT CLED TO SAY WHY OR FOR HOW LONG HE HAD NOT.IN AN TERVIEW, SOREF TOLD THE DAILY BEAST THAT WAS “ABSOLUTELY RIDICULO” THAT THE CHURCH WAS HOMOPHOBIC. HE SAID THAT WHEN LECLAIR TOLD HIM SHE WAS GAY, HE WAS ACCEPTG OF . SOREF CLAIMED LECLAIR WAS CREATG “A FASHNABLE E CéLèBRE” BY CLAIMG THE CHURCH WAS HOMOPHOBIC. SHE HAD MERGED TWO SEPARATE ISSU—HER OWN LEGAL TRAVAILS AND SCIENTOLOGY’S ALLEGED HOMOPHOBIA—FOR HER OWN GOOD, SOREF SAID. “ARE YOU WILLG TO PUBLICLY TRASH YOUR EX, YOUR RELIGN, YOUR IENDS, JT TO GET YOURSELF OUT OF A TIGHT SPOT? SHE’S TRYG TO DUMP ON OTHERS ORR TO CLEAR HER NAME.”— DROR SOREF, LECLAIR’S FORMER BS PARTNER IT WASN’T LECLAIR WHO LEFT THEIR BS PARTNERSHIP AFTER DISVERG HIS MISEDS, SOREF SAID, BUT HE WHO LEFT HER. SOREF ALSO SAID THERE WERE “VERY FAMO PEOPLE” WHO WERE GAY WHO WERE SCIENTOLOGISTS, BUT WOULD NOT DIVULGE THEIR NAM. “I’M NOT SURPRISED TO HEAR SOREF AND THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY HAVE BAND TOGETHER AND ARE ONCE AGA DOUBLG DOWN ON THE LI ABOUT ME THAT THEY HAVE SPERATELY PEDDLED FOR YEARS.” IN RPONSE TO SOREF’S CLAIMS, LECLAIR TOLD THE DAILY BEAST: “I KNEW WRG A BOOK ABOUT MY PE OM SCIENTOLOGY, I WOULD HAVE TO RELIVE PAFUL MOMENTS, FEND MY CHARACTER, AND PROVE MY ACUNTS. IN PERFECTLY CLEAR, I DO EXACTLY THAT. I CHOSE TO WRE MY STORY WH A PULZER PRIZE-WNG VTIGATIVE REPORTER, ROB GABY FISHER, BEE I KNEW THAT HER FACT-CHECKG OF MY EXPERIENC WOULD REQUIRE THOROUGH DOCUMENTATN AND RROBORATN. “OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, ROB TERVIEWED DOZENS OF WNS CLUDG ATTORNEYS AND VTIGATORS, VIEWED EMAILS AND RTRAG ORRS, READ REPORTS WRTEN ON ME OM CHURCH MEMBERS AND WNSED FIRSTHAND THE RS AND PEOPLE STG OUTSI MY HOME. NOTHG MA THE FAL VERSN OF PERFECTLY CLEAR THAT ROB ULDN’T PENNTLY VERIFY. “I’M NOT SURPRISED TO HEAR SOREF AND THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY HAVE BAND TOGETHER AND ARE ONCE AGA DOUBLG DOWN ON THE LI ABOUT ME THAT THEY HAVE SPERATELY PEDDLED FOR YEARS. I STAND BY EVERY WORD OF PERFECTLY CLEAR, AND I NEVER EXPECTED THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY OR SOREF TO THROW ME A BOOK PARTY. IF THEY’RE UNHAPPY WH READG THE TTH, THEN THEY SHOULD STOP ATTACKG PEOPLE WHO AREN’T AAID TO SPEAK UP AND FIGHT BACK.”“GRACE, TTH, AND LOVE WILL ALWAYS PREVAIL,” SAID LECLAIR.OF URSE, LECLAIR ULD HAVE N THE SCHEME AS THE DBO NTEND, AND BEEN TREATED BADLY BY THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY BEE SHE WAS GAY; THE TWO ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLIVE. “THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY IS BUILT ON LI,” SAID LECLAIR OF THE CHURCH’S PHBACK. “ANYTHG THEY HAVE TO SAY DON’T BOTHER ME THE LEAST.” ‘I WAS BROKEN DOWN TO A PULP. SCIENTOLOGY IS GOOD AT MAKG YOU THK YOU’VE GONE CRAZY’TODAY, LECLAIR IS HAPPILY SETTLED ATLANTA. SHE IS OM OKLAHOMA, TENA IS OM MISSISSIPPI. “WE N SAY ‘Y’ALL,’ AND EAT IED OKRA AND NOT FEEL BAD ABOUT ,” SHE TOLD THE DAILY BEAST. LECLAIR’S FOUR CHILDREN ENJOY , NNG AROUND OUTSI AND RIDG BIK ON THE FAY FARM.THE WOMEN FEEL ACCEPTED AS A GAY UPLE. THEY HAVE MANY IENDS. IT’S A WARM AND VG HOME, THEY HOPE. HER 17-YEAR-OLD SON, WHO LIV MALY WH HER EX-HBAND, HAS APPLIED TO STUDY AT LLEG NEAR HIS MOTHER. LECLAIR ALSO HAS AN 11-YEAR-OLD DGHTER, AND 10-YEAR OLD TWS. COURTY OF MICHELLE LECLAIR HER SMALLER CHILDREN, LECLAIR SAID, HAVE LIVED THEIR WHOLE LIV GOG THROUGH WHAT SHE HAS GONE THROUGH. LECLAIR HOP HAS MA THEM “STRONGER AND MORE ACCEPTG CHILDREN.”SHE HAS ASKED HER OLST SON NOT TO READ THE BOOK, BUT KNOWG THAT HE MAY CHOOSE TO READ WHEN HE GETS OLR. LECLAIR WR GRAPHILLY OF THE PHYSIL AND MENTAL ABE SHE CLAIMS HIS FATHER PUT HER THROUGH, AND WHICH HE ADAMANTLY NI.“MY SON IS VERY AWARE OF SCIENTOLOGY ELEMENT AND HE HAS NO NCERN WH THAT. HE IS NOT SUPPORTIVE OF THE CHURCH, BUT HAS HIS OWN RELATNSHIP WH HIS FATHER.” “MY LIFE HAS BEEN SO NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY MICHELLE. I LOVE MY KIDS MORE THAN ANYTHG. IT'S BEEN SO DIFFICULT. IT WASN'T A HAPPY MARRIAGE. I WISH HAD BEEN” LECLAIR'S EX-HBAND, WHO HAS BEEN WH HIS PRENT FIANCéE FOR SEVEN YEARS AND WH WHOM HE HAS HAD A CHILD, TOLD THE DAILY BEAST: "MY LIFE HAS BEEN SO NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY MICHELLE. I LOVE MY KIDS MORE THAN ANYTHG. IT'S BEEN SO DIFFICULT. IT WASN'T A HAPPY MARRIAGE. I WISH HAD BEEN. WHEN I GREW UP ALL I WANTED WAS TO MEET ONE PERSON AND BE WH THAT ONE PERSON ALL MY LIFE, LIKE MY PARENTS."IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO FD OUT THIS PERSON WAS NOTHG LIKE I THOUGHT THEY WERE, EVEN THOUGH WE WERE MARRIED FOR SO LONG. AND 'S HARD ON MY KIDS. I HATE WHAT THIS DO TO THEM."“HDSIGHT IS ALWAYS EASY,” SAID LECLAIR WHEN ASKED WHY SHE DIDN’T SEE THE WARNG SIGNS OF BEG VOLVED WH THE CHURCH THAT SHE NOW SE SUCH NEGATIVE TERMS.“THE SAME THG APPLI TO PEOPLE ABIVE RELATNSHIPS AS DO TO PEOPLE CULTS,” SHE SAID. “I WAS TRAED TO JTIFY EVERY SGLE BAD THG HAPPENG TO ME AS MY FLT. ALL I HAD KNOWN SCE I WAS 18 YEARS OLD WAS SCIENTOLOGY, AND THEY HAD AN ANSWER FOR EVERYTHG. I WOULD GO TO MY MOM AND ALL HER ANSWERS WERE SCIENTOLOGY ANSWERS.”LECLAIR NI SHE STAYED THE CHURCH FOR BS REASONS; SHE SAID THAT SHE DIDN’T E THE CHURCH TO BUILD WORK RELATNSHIPS, THOUGH SHE DID DONATE $5 LN TO . EVERY WAKG MOMENT NOT VOTED TO HER BS WAS VOTED TO THE CHURCH, LECLAIR SAID. “THEY MAY HAVE LOOKED LIKE BELLS AND WHISTL GOG OFF AT VAR POTS, BUT THEY WERE WHISPERS TO ME AT THAT POT. NOW, LOOKG BACK, THEY SEEM LIKE HUGE ALARMS” “YOUR BT IENDS, YOUR -WORKERS ARE ALL UNR ONE ROOF. YOU’RE TRAED TO SEND-GUS YOURSELF, AND SO I WAS LED TO ASK MYSELF IF I WAS BEG A BAD WIFE TO MAKE MY HBAND TREAT ME THE WAY HE DID. THEY MAY HAVE LOOKED LIKE BELLS AND WHISTL GOG OFF AT VAR POTS, BUT THEY WERE WHISPERS TO ME AT THAT POT. NOW, LOOKG BACK, THEY SEEM LIKE HUGE ALARMS. I WAS BROKEN DOWN TO A PULP. SCIENTOLOGY IS GOOD AT MAKG YOU THK YOU’VE GONE CRAZY.”THE TURNG POT ME WHEN SHE WAS “TOLD THAT I WOULD HAVE TO LEAVE TENA, THE LOVE OF MY LIFE, THE PURT THG OUTSI OF MY HAVG CHILDREN.” ‘I’M THANKFUL FOR THE STRENGTH LOVE HAS GIVEN ME’“I DON’T FEEL THE CHURCH’S PRENCE,” LECLAIR SAID OF HER LIFE TODAY. SHE THKS HER EX-HBAND REALIZ THAT IF HE TOOK HIS CHILDREN TO A SCIENTOLOGY CHURCH WOULD BE AGAST THE CTODY AGREEMENT THEY HAD SIGNED. HER OLST SON HAS TOLD HER SCIENTOLOGY HAS NO PRENCE THE CHILDREN’S LIV.“I WANT MY OLST SON TO GROW UP TO BE A PASSNATE MAN WHO HAS A HUGE AMOUNT OF RPECT FOR WOMEN. AND I THK THAT HE WILL. I THK HE KNOWS THAT PLENTY OF THGS HAVE GONE ON, BUT I DON’T WANT HIM TO FORCE HIM TO READ THAT STUFF.“HE SAID TO ME THE OTHER DAY, ‘MOM, I DO WANT TO READ THE BOOK. BUT I DON’T WANT TO READ THE STUFF ABOUT DAD.’ AND I SAID, ‘WELL I’LL RIP OUT THOSE PAG AND YOU N READ THE RT OF .’”HER EX-HBAND KNOWS HE IS UNR “STRICT WATCH,” LECLAIR SAID.THE CHILDREN ARE OLD ENOUGH NOW THAT THEY N SPEAK OUT, SAID LECLAIR, AND HER OLST SON IS VERY PROTECTIVE OF HIS YOUNGER SIBLGS.IN THE PAST, SHE SAID, HER MARK OF SUCCS WAS HOW MUCH MONEY SHE HAD MA AND HOW MUCH MONEY SHE HAD DONATED TO THE CHURCH. TODAY SHE TREASUR THE MOMENTS OF WATCHG HER CHILDREN PLAY OUTSI, AND MEASUR SUCCS ON TELLG TENA THAT SHE LOV HER AND KISSG HER CHILDREN ON THEIR FOREHEADS “AND VALUG KDNS, HUY, GRATU, AND REBUILDG A BETTER FOUNDATN. I’M BETTER TED, AND WORKG WH PEOPLE I KNOW BETTER AND MAKG SURE THE THGS I DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.” COURTY OF MICHELLE LECLAIR HER MOTHER LEFT THE CHURCH 2013, HAVG BEEN A VOTED AND FAHFUL MEMBER FOR YEARS. LECLAIR THKS SHE WAS SPURRED BY THE EXAMPLE OF HER AND TENA FDG LOVE. “I BELIEVE SHE HAS ALWAYS BEEN SEARCHG FOR LOVE. MY GRANDPARENTS HAD FOR 62 YEARS, AND I THK SHE SAW WH TENA AND ME AND OUR KIDS.”NOW, LECLAIR LGHED, HER MOTHER IS A “GOOGLE SPONGE,” WHO HAS A MORNG FFEE, SURVEYS THE WORLD ONLE AND EXCEDLY ASKS HER DGHTER, “I’M WATCHG THIS SHOW LLED WILL AND GRACE.” SHE’S TRYG TO “EMBRACE HER NEW LIFE, HAVG BEEN SHUT AWAY OM THE REAL WORLD FOR 20 YEARS. NOW SHE SS OUT ON HER PORCH WH A GLASS OF WE, WATCH THE HUMMGBIRDS, AND HAS A LTLE DOG.“HER BODY AND MD WERE OUT THROUGH HELL, AND IF TENA AND I N GIVE MY MOM THE NEXT HALF OF HER LIFE A LIFE OF LM, THEN THAT WILL MAKE ME HAPPY.”LECLAIR PAR THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY AS IS TODAY TO THE MOMENT THE WIZARD OF OZ WHERE THE CURTA IS PULLED BACK, AND “’S A LOT OF SMOKE AND MIRRORS. I THK THEY HAVE A LOT OF MONEY AND BUILDGS BUT A DWDLG MEMBERSHIP.“PEOPLE LIKE PL HAGGIS, LEAH REMI, AND MIKE RR HAVE SHONE A HUGE SPOTLIGHT ON THE REALY OF THE CHURCH. WHENEVER ANYONE OUT WH A PERSONAL STORY, ’S A DIRECT H ON MEMBERSHIP AND THE GROUP.” “I HAVE BEEN BEATEN DOWN, SRED FOR MY LIFE, SRED FOR MY CHILDREN’S LIV. I KNOW I AM SAFE NOW, BUT I AM HAVG TO RELIVE THE VERY PAFUL EXPERIENC.” WHILE LECLAIR BELIEV SCIENTOLOGY MEMBERSHIP IS FALLG, “WE SHOULD BE REFUL TO SEE WHAT MORPHS TO. THEY SAY THEY HAVE THE SECRET TO UNIVERSE. WHY NOT SHARE THAT SECRET OR FUND HOSPALS OR DONATE MONEY TO NCER ?”AFTER LECLAIR LEFT THE CHURCH SHE HAD THERAPY BRIEFLY, BUT FELT WAS “DIVG TOO EP TO AREAS AND MAKG ME WEAK.”SHE CRI MUCH EASIER TODAY THAN BEFORE. “I HAVE BEEN BEATEN DOWN, SRED FOR MY LIFE, SRED FOR MY CHILDREN’S LIV. I KNOW I AM SAFE NOW, BUT I AM HAVG TO RELIVE THE VERY PAFUL EXPERIENC. BUT IF ONE PERSON, READG MY BOOK, AN ABIVE RELATNSHIP FDS STRENGTH TO LEAVE; IF STOPS ONE PERSON JOG THE CHURCH; IF ONE PERSON THE CHURCH READS THIS AND REGNIZ I AM LEADG A GREAT LIFE; IF ONE PERSON IS PRSED AND WORRIED ABOUT LOSG ANYTHG, I N TELL THEM I UNRSTAND AND YOU N ALWAYS MAKE BACK.”SHE SE THE YEARS OF 18 TO 40 A “WASTED” TIME, BUT EQUALLY, HAD NOT BEEN FOR SCIENTOLOGY SHE DON’T KNOW IF SHE WOULD HAVE MET TENA OR HAD HER CHILDREN.“I’M NOT THANKFUL TO SCIENTOLOGY, BUT I’M THANKFUL FOR THE EXPERIENC I’VE GONE THROUGH LIFE. I’M THANKFUL FOR NOT BEG RENTFUL. I’M THANKFUL FOR HAVG E OUT THE OTHER SI AND THANKFUL FOR THE STRENGTH LOVE HAS GIVEN ME. I DON’T GIVE SCIENTOLOGY ANY CRED FOR GETTG ME TO THIS PLACE. I GIVE LOVE CRED FOR GETTG ME TO THIS PLACE.” COURTY OF MICHELLE LECLAIR SHE AND TENA ARE ENGAGED AND PLAN TO MARRY NEXT YEAR AT THEIR IEND, THE TV WRER AND PRODUCER NORMAN LEAR’S PLACE VERMONT.“I WOULD LIKE TO HOPE THAT I WOULD HAVE FOUND MY WAY OUT OF THE CHURCH. I WOULD LIKE TO THK MY GUT STCT WOULD HAVE TAKEN OVER SOMEHOW, BUT I DO BELIEVE TENA WAS A GIFT OM GOD.”SHE TEARED UP. “I DON’T KNOW WHERE I FOUND THE STRENGTH, MAYBE THROUGH MY CHILDREN. THEY WERE PART OF , BUT SHE AND I HAVE ONE OF THE MOST UNBELIEVABLE RELATNSHIPS. AFTER ALMOST 10 YEARS NOW, THERE IS NOT A MOMENT WHERE I DON’T WANT TO TOUCH HER AND TELL HER HOW MUCH I LOVE HER AND HOW GRATEFUL I AM FOR HER. I HOPE I WOULD HAVE GOTTEN OUT, BUT I DO LOOK AT HER AS MAKG MY LIFE PERFECTLY CLEAR.”TENA (ABOUT TO PUBLISH A BOOK OF HER OWN ABOUT HER OWN LORFUL HISTORY), IS “FUNNY, SEXY, SMART, WH A GREAT SOUTHERN SI TO HER.”SHE STOOD BY LECLAIR THROUGH ALL HER VAR TRAVAILS, AND SUPPORTED HER TO MAKE HER OWN CISN WHEN ME TO THE CHURCH.TENA ME OUT AT 21, AND LECLAIR ADMIR HER STRENGTH AND RILIENCE. “SHE NEVER MAK EXC FOR WHO SHE IS.”ONE SUNDAY, TENA TOOK MICHELLE TO HER EPISPAL CHURCH, ALL SATS PASANA, AND MICHELLE FELT “A HUGE SENSE OF FAIARY AND OVERWHELMG SENSE OF G HOME.” SHE LLED HER FATHER, WHO TOLD HER SHE’D BEEN CHRISTENED EPISPAL. THE PASTOR THERE WAS A HUGE SUPPORT THROUGH HER LEGAL PROBLEMS, AND SHE FELT NO JUDGMENT (QUE THE OPPOSE) AROUND HER SEXUALY.“FAH IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO ME,” LECLAIR SAID. “BELIEVG SOMETHG BIGGER THAN IS IMPORTANT TO ME.” SCIENTOLOGY DIDN’T PUT HER OFF OF FAH. “I’VE ALWAYS BEEN A SPIRUAL PERSON, SO ULDN’T SEE NOT HAVG SPIRUALY MY LIFE, BUT I DON’T BELIEVE ONLY ONE RELIGN, ONE WORD AND I ULDN’T BE WH A GROUP PREACHG ANYTHG AGAST LOVE AND LGBT PEOPLE.“I FEEL VERY FORTABLE AND ACCEPTED THE EPISPAL CHURCH, AND I TEACH MY CHILDREN THAT THERE ARE RELIGNS THAT ARE SAFE, GOOD, HONT, AND LOVG. THE CHILDREN KNOW JUDAISM, BUDDHISM AND OTHER RELIGNS ARE VERY GOOD. ANYTHG IS FE AS LONG AS ’S NOT A CULT.” LECLAIR LGHED.THERE IS A 19-YEAR AGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HER AND TENA (WHO IS 64), BUT LECLAIR SAYS SHE IS THE “OLD SOUL,” AND TENA “THE YOUNG ONE.” LECLAIR ALSO FEELS HER “REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE” HAS E THE 10 YEARS SCE SHE LEFT THE CHURCH. “IT IS ALL FAKE BEFORE THAT.”SHE WANTS HER CHILDREN TO GO TO SCHOOL AND UNIVERSY, TO ENJOY THEIR LIFE EXPERIENC, PECIALLY LIGHT OF HER GIVG HERSELF TO SCIENTOLOGY OM THE AGE OF 18. SHE WANTS THEM TO MAKE THEIR CISNS ON THE BASIS OF “GOODNS AND HEART,” NEVER MONEY, AND TO EXPLORE THEIR LIV AND SEXUALY AND HAVE DIFFERENT IENDS AROUND THE WORLD. “I’M PROUD OF OUR FAY. I’M PROUD TO BE THE SK I’VE WANTED TO BE FOR SO MANY YEARS. I’M PROUD TO SHOW A HAPPY, BETIFUL FAY AND A LOVG RELATNSHIP.” AFTER FEELG SO MENACED, LECLAIR DON’T FEEL UNR ANY THREAT NOW.“I HAVE HIGH-SECURY MERAS AND ALARMS. I’M SMART ABOUT . BUT AT THE SAME TIME IF PEOPLE WANT TO E AND S OUTSI AND WATCH A LOVG, HAPPY FAY, THEY N E WATCH. WE LIVE A MUNY THAT’S VERY PROTECTIVE AND LOVG. THEY CHECK ON ALL THE TIME."WH THE BOOK, FEELS NICE TO BE ON THE OFFENSE. MY TENTN WASN’T TO STRIKE BACK AT THE CHURCH, BUT TO SHE A SPOTLIGHT ON A VERY HOMOPHOBIC GROUP, AND I THK I HAVE DONE THAT PRETTY WELL.“I’M PROUD OF OUR FAY. I’M PROUD TO BE THE SK I’VE WANTED TO BE FOR SO MANY YEARS. I’M PROUD TO SHOW A HAPPY, BETIFUL FAY AND A LOVG RELATNSHIP. I HOPE WHAT I HAVE EVERYBODY N FD. MY VOICE ISN’T VERY SILENT NOW, AND THAT’S VERY EMPOWERG.” TIM TEEMAN
BEG GAY SCIENTOLOGY: HOW MICHELLE LECLAIR GOT OUT

WHEN I CAME OUT AS GAY, THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY HUIATED ME

In her new memoir, Perfectly Clear, LeClair, a mother of four, says the Church targeted and huiated her for beg gay when she me out, ultimately leadg to her fectn. Ron Hubbard, the founr of Scientology, who said that homosexuals are the lowt of the low.

Comg om Oklahoma I didn’t know anybody who was gay, so I thought to myself, “Oh my God, I n’t tell anyone about this. Ron Hubbard’s stance on homosexualy.

THE LBIAN WHO OUTED SCIENTOLOGY’S HOMOPHOBIAFIGHTING BACKMICHELLE LECLAIR CLAIMS THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY, WHICH SHE GAVE AROUND $5 LN TO AS A MEMBER, VICLY TURNED ON HER AFTER SHE ME OUT. THE CHURCH NI HER STORY.TIM TEEMANSENR EDOR AND WRERUPDATED SEP. 25, 2018 7:51AM EDT / PUBLISHED SEP. 25, 2018 4:43AM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY LYNE LUCIEN/THE DAILY BEASTONE OF MICHELLE LECLAIR’S TW CHILDREN, AGED ALMOST 10, WROTE A RECENT CLASS PROJECT, “I WANT TO BE A LAWYER SO I N FIGHT FOR MY FAY.”LECLAIR, 45, TEARED UP RELLG THIS TO THE DAILY BEAST, AND WASN’T THE ONLY TIME SHE WOULD DO SO AN TERVIEW WHICH SHE TOLD HER LONG AND PLITED STORY ABOUT BEG GAY AND FEELG PERSECUTED BY THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY, WHERE SHE WAS A MEMBER FOR OVER 20 YEARS, OM AGE 18 TO 40.THE CHURCH NI ANY NOTN THAT IS HOMOPHOBIC, AND CLAIMS LECLAIR IS “MANUFACTURG NTROVERSI TO DIVERT ATTENTN OM THE FACT THAT SHE BILKED LNS OF DOLLARS” OM VTORS A PONZI SCHEME.IN HER REVEALG BOOK PERFECTLY CLEAR: ESPG SCIENTOLOGY AND FIGHTG FOR THE WOMAN I LOVE (BERKLEY, $27, WRTEN WH ROB GABY FISHER), LECLAIR TELLS THE STORY OF A CHURCH THAT, SHE CLAIMED, DID NOT SEEK TO HELP HER PE OM WHAT SHE ALLEG WAS AN ABIVE HETEROSEXUAL MARRIAGE; AND ONE WHICH ALLEGEDLY TURNED AGAST HER WHEN SHE MA CLEAR SHE WAS LOVE WH TENA, THE WOMAN SHE FELL FOR. COURTY OF MICHELLE LECLAIR THE “WCH-HUNT” AGAST HER (LECLAIR’S WORDS) BEGAN AFTER SHE LEFT THE CHURCH 2012, AFTER SHE SAYS SOUGHT TO DISURAGE HER OM BEG GAY WH HOSTILE “DG” UNSELG SSNS, WHICH SHE WAS ALLEGEDLY TOLD BY A CHURCH UNSELOR THAT SHE WOULD LOSE EVERYTHG, PERSONALLY AND PROFSNALLY, IF SHE WAS GAY AND A RELATNSHIP WH A WOMAN.SHE TIMAT SHE END UP GIVG $5 LN TO THE CHURCH.“I DON’T KNOW HOW THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY N E OUT AND SAY ’S NOT HOMOPHOBIC,” LECLAIR TOLD THE DAILY BEAST. “IF THEY DON’T AGREE WH GAY RELATNSHIPS THEY SHOULD LET PEOPLE KNOW BEFORE THEY JO THE CHURCH. THEY ARE APPLYG THEIR VERSN OF GAY NVERSN THERAPY.“I N ONLY TELL YOU FOR ME BEG GAY WAS NEVER AN OPTN SI THE CHURCH, EVEN WHEN I THOUGHT I WAS A BIG ENOUGH DONOR AND HIGH ENOUGH THE CHURCH. I THOUGHT I ULD BRG THE CHURCH TO THE 21ST CENTURY AND BE A RABOW-FLAG WAVG SCIENTOLOGIST. THEY WERE NOT HAVG .” ‘HOMOSEXUALS GET SICK EASILY. THEY GET AIDS... IS THAT THE GROUP YOU WANT TO BE PART OF?’AS LECLAIR TOLD NBC’S MEGYN KELLY, SHE ORIGALLY JOED THE CHURCH, FOLLOWG HER MOTHER, AFTER A BAD R ACCINT. SHE MARRIED HER NOW EX-HBAND AT 21, AND THEY HAD FOUR CHILDREN. SHE SAID THAT SHE WAS FIRST OUTED AS A LBIAN A REPORT TO THE CHURCH’S “ETHICS PARTMENT,” AFTER YEARS OF “DG,” A KD OF -HOE PSYCHOLOGIL UNSELG. ONE ETHICS OFFICER TOLD HER, SHE WR THE BOOK: “‘GAY’ IS A PSYCH TERM THAT MAK HOMOSEXUALY LS OF A CRIME. HOMOSEXUALS GET SICK EASILY. THEY GET AIDS. THEY NNOT PROCREATE. MANY HAVE MTED CRIM OF SEXUAL VIANCE. YOU DON’T KNOW ONE BEE THEY HI THEIR CRIM. IS THAT THE GROUP YOU WANT TO BE PART OF?”NO, LECLAIR RELLED REPLYG, HER EY WELLG WH TEARS. SHE CLAIMS THE MALE ETHICS OFFICERS WAS MORE TERTED HER FILY WH ANOTHER WOMAN THAN HER NOW EX-HBAND’S ALLEGED FILY WH ANOTHER WOMAN. “DO YOU FANTASIZE ABOUT WOMEN WHEN YOU MASTURBATE?” THE ETHICS OFFICER ASKED LECLAIR. “WHAT EXACTLY IS YOUR FANTASY?”THAT ETHICS OFFICER TOLD LECLAIR SHE HAD A CHOICE. “DID I REALLY WANT TO BE PART OF A DAMNED CULTURE, ONE PRONE TO PROMISCUY, AIDS AND A LIFETIME OF SICKNS AND MISERY?”SHE SAID A CHURCH OFFICIAL SAID THAT THE CHURCH WOULD NOT ACCEPT , THAT SHE WOULD NOT HAVE A NORMAL LIFE, THAT HER KIDS WOULD END UP GETTG SICK, AND HER BS WOULD FAIL. THIS WAS TERRIBLY HARD FOR LECLAIR TO HEAR: AS A SCIENTOLOGIST, SHE SCRIB THE BOOK HOW ENGAGED FOR A LONG TIME SHE WAS WH THE SIRED PATH FOR MEMBERS ON "THE BRIDGE TO TOTAL FREEDOM" TO REACH "CLEAR"—THE MOST POSIVE PSYCHOLOGIL STATE.IN THEIR UNSELG SSNS, LECLAIR WR, SHE HAD TO PROMISE TO HER NOW EX-HBAND THAT SHE “WOULD BE A GOOD HETEROSEXUAL WIFE,” MAKE A LIST OF POLICI TO PREVENT THE SAME TRANSGRSN (OF HAVG SAME-SEX RELATNS) AGA; “AVOID ALL ASSOCIATN WH HOMOSEXUALS”; AND “SEEK FIVENS” OM HETEROSEXUAL SCIENTOLOGISTS.”THIS, AT THE TIME, SHE DID.A SPOKPERSON FOR THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY NIED LECLAIR’S ACUNTS. “MS. LECLAIR’S FALSE CLAIMS THAT THE CHURCH KNEW ABOUT AND IGNORED SPOAL ABE BY HER HBAND ARE BELIED BY THE CHURCH’S POLICY TO REPORT SUCH ABE. THAT THE CHURCH FORBA MS. CLAIR OM DIVORCG AN ABIVE SPOE IS RIDICULO. DIVORCE IS NO LS MON SCIENTOLOGY THAN THE GENERAL POPULATN.”HER EX-HBAND NIED ALL THE ACCATNS LECLAIR MA ABOUT HIS BEHAVR AND THEIR MARRIAGE AN TERVIEW WH THE DAILY BEAST. THEY MET 1992, MARRIED 1994, SEPARATED 2008, AND WERE FALLY DIVORCED 2010.HE SAID HE HAD NOT READ THE BOOK, BUT CLAIMED HE HAD NEVER PHYSILLY OR EMOTNALLY ABED LECLAIR.“NOTHG ULD BE FURTHER OM THE TTH, THOSE STORI AREN’T TE AT ALL,” HE SAID.HE ALSO SAID THE CHURCH HAD NOT FORCED THEM TO STAY MARRIED ANY WAY. THE UNSELG SSNS HAD BEEN OPEN-MD, AND AT THE END OF EVERY ONE THEY HAD CID TO STAY TOGETHER, HE SAID.HE CLAIMED HIS EX-WIFE’S BOOK AND PUBLICY IS “JT A SE. SHE IS TRYG TO E THE #METOO MOVEMENT TO HELP SAL OF THE BOOK. SHE IS TRYG TO GET PEOPLE TO FEEL SORRY FOR HER. IT’S THE ONLY REASON I N THK OF THAT SHE IS BRGG THE FALSE ALLEGATNS UP.”IN RPONSE, LECLAIR SAID: “I’VE NEVER KNOWN AN ABER WHO ADMS TO THE ABE OR WHO DON’T FLECT BLAME ONTO HIS VICTIMS.” IN 2012, SHE WAS GRANTED A RTRAG ORR AGAST HER EX-HBAND.WHEN SHE FALLY FELL LOVE WH A WOMAN, LECLAIR SAYS HER RELATNSHIP WH TENA (LLED CHARLEY THE BOOK) WAS EXPOSED TO FELLOW MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH. SHE DON’T KNOW HOW NEWS OF HER RELATNSHIP WH TENA WAS LEAKED.FOR A WHILE AFTER HER G OUT, LECLAIR SAID, THE CHURCH SEEMED OK WH HER. ANOTHER WOMAN APPROACHED LECLAIR TO SAY SHE HAD SPIRED HER TO TELL HER OWN HBAND THAT SHE WAS GAY.THEN LECLAIR DISVERED A REPORT HAD BEEN WRTEN ON HER, SAYG SHE HAD TRIED TO “NVERT” THAT WOMAN TO A LBIAN.LECLAIR SAYS THIS IS A TOTAL LIE; THAT YOUNG WOMAN, SHE WR, WAS ORRED TO BE “CURED” AT FLAG, THE SPIRUAL HEADQUARTERS OF THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY CLEARWATER, FLORIDA.LECLAIR WAS THEN TAKEN “TO SSN,” AND “MA TO READ POLICI ON WHAT L. RON HUBBARD SAID. YOU ARE MA TO BELIEVE YOU ARE THE WRONG BODY, THE WRONG LIFETIME. THERE HAD TO BE SOMETHG WRONG THE MARRIAGE, OR I HAD DONE SOMETHG WRONG TO THE OPPOSE SEX TO HAVE AN ATTRACTN TO THE SAME SEX. YOU FEEL SO GRAD.“THERE IS SO MUCH QUTNG WH OURSELV AS GAY PEOPLE THAT YOU BELIEVE YOU ARE DOG SOMETHG WRONG.”ORIGALLY, LECLAIR HAD BELIEVED THE CHURCH AND HER LOVE FOR TENA. SHE THOUGHT SHE ULD “HAVE ALL.” NOW SHE THKS SHE WAS NAïVE, BUT AT THE TIME SHE THOUGHT SHE HAD “LOOKED GOOD” FOR THE ROLE THE CHURCH WANTED HER TO PLAY, AS A SPOKPERSON FOR YOUTH FOR HUMAN RIGHTS. SHE DONATED A LOT OF MONEY TO THE CHURCH.LECLAIR DON’T KNOW IF WAS DIVE TERVENTN OR THE FACT THAT HER LOVE WAS SO STRONG FOR TENA, BUT WAS “A LIGHTNG BOLT” THAT WOKE HER UP. COURTY OF MICHELLE LECLAIR “I HAVE LEARNED THERE IS AN STCTUAL GUTTURAL FEELG WE HAVE AS HUMAN BEGS, AND WHEN YOU DON’T FOLLOW THAT YOUR GUT YOU MAKE SOME WRONG CHOIC. AT THAT TIME, MY GUT WAS TELLG ME TO N OM THE CHURCH AND N TO TENA, AND WAS THE BT CISN I EVER MA.”SHE SAID SHE MA THE MISTAKE OF TELLG HER FORMER BS PARTNER DROR SOREF ABOUT HER SAME-SEX RELATNSHIP; SHE SPECTS SOREF AND/OR HIS WIFE TOLD THE CHURCH ABOUT HER SEXUALY. (IN AN TERVIEW WH THE DAILY BEAST, SOREF NIED ALL THE ALLEGATNS LECLAIR MAK AGAST HIM.)LECLAIR SAID SHE WAS TOLD THAT IF SHE LEFT THE CHURCH SHE WOULD GET NCER, OR SUFFER R ACCINTS, THAT SOMEHOW THEY UNIVERSE WOULD ATTACK HER IF SHE EVER LEFT SCIENTOLOGY.A CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY SPOKPERSON WOULD NOT ADDRS LECLAIR’S SPECIFIC ALLEGATNS OF THE CHURCH’S ANTI-GAY SPEECH AND ACTNS TOWARDS HER.A SPOKPERSON SAID, “IT SHOULD BE CLEAR THAT WE DISPUTE WHAT SHE IS NTENDG, BUT WE ELECT NOT TO BE DIVERTED BY WHAT IS A TOTAL RED HERRG ON HER PART.”THE CHURCH MEANT THAT, FOR THEM, THE FOC SHOULD BE ON LECLAIR’S LEGAL PROSECUTN, NOT S ATTU TO LGBT PEOPLE. IT EVEN SENT THE DAILY BEAST A TAILED TIMELE OF LECLAIR’S LEGAL TRAVAILS, AS WELL AS A LLECTN OF URT DOCUMENTS RELATG TO , WHICH HAD PILED.LECLAIR CLAIMS THAT AFTER SHE LEFT THE CHURCH, SHE WAS FOLLOWED. ONE DAY, THERE WAS A WOMAN STG A VAN OUTSI HER HOE. HER MOTHER ASKED THE WOMAN WHAT SHE WAS DOG. THE WOMAN SAID SHE WAS A CLEANER ON A LUNCH BREAK. BUT LECLAIR SAYS SHE WAS FACT OM SOME KD OF UNSPECIFIED “VTIGATORY OFFICE.”“CAN I TELL YOU SHE WAS OM THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY? I NNOT, BUT HAVG ED SIAR TACTICS AGAST OTHER PEOPLE I N ONLY MAKE THAT ASSUMPTN,” SAID LECLAIR.FROM THE FIRST TIME SHE WAS RAID BY POLICE 2014, LECLAIR WR HER BOOK, “MY LIFE UNSPOOLED AS IF I WERE A CHARACTER A SPENSE NOVEL. STRANGE RS IDLE AT THE CURB OUTSI MY HOME AT ALL HOURS OF THE DAY. MEN WEARG DARK GLASS FOLLOW ME TO THE GROCERY STORE, THE AIRPORT AND MY KIDS’ SCHOOL. MY PUTER AND PHONE HAVE BEEN HACKED.”THE CHURCH VOCIFEROLY NI HAD ANY VOLVEMENT ANY SUCH ACTIVI, AS DO THE DIVIDUAL NAMED BY THE PSDONYM “CELTE” THE BOOK, A SCIENTOLOGIST WHO WAS LECLAIR’S ASSISTANT AND WHOM LECLAIR SPECTED OF ACTG AS A SPY FOR THE CHURCH.THE CHURCH SENT THE DAILY BEAST A STATEMENT OM JOSEFA DOB, THE ASSISTANT KNOWN AS “CELTE” THE BOOK, NYG DOG ANYTHG NEFAR WHILE SHE WAS LECLAIR’S ASSISTANT. DOB ALSO NIED THAT THE CHURCH WAS ANTI-GAY TOWARDS LECLAIR. SHE NSIRED LECLAIR’S PORTRA OF HER “FALSE AND FAMATORY.”“I FEEL LIKE MY LIFE WAS STOLEN,” SAID LECLAIR OF HER TIME SCIENTOLOGY. “I’M NOT FORMALLY TED. I MA THE CISN, THROUGH THE PRSURE OF THE CHURCH, TO BE TED BY THE CHURCH. I FEEL THAT IF I WAS BETTER TED I WOULD NOT HAVE MA SOME OF THE CISNS I MA MY LIFE.“I FEEL THE OPPORTUNY TO EXPLORE MY SEXUALY WAS STOLEN OM ME, AND I FEEL I WAS FORCED TO LIVE A HETEROSEXUAL LIFE WHICH BEME EXTREMELY ABIVE. I FELT THE CHURCH NDONED THE ABE, AND DID NOTHG ABOUT THAT ABE WHEN I BEGGED FOR THEIR HELP. I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO GO TO THE POLICE, AND NOT ALLOWED TO GO SEE A PSYCHIATRIST. I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO DO ANYTHG TO PROTECT MYSELF OUTSI OF WHAT THE CHURCH OFFERED.” “I WOULD SAY, ‘RUN AS FAR AS YOU N.’ THIS IS NOT A CHURCH. WHETHER YOU ARE GAY OR STRAIGHT, DO NOT SET FOOT NEAR PEOPLE ON THE SIWALK ASKG YOU TO DO STRS OR PERSONALY TTS.” “I FEEL THE CHURCH DID MANY THGS TO ME. IT’S IMPORTANT TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT THIS IS A GROUP THAT WILL NSUME YOUR ENTIRE LIFE, AND PH OUT ANYONE ON THE OUTSI THAT IS HELPG YOU SEE CLEARLY.”NOW, SHE SAID, THERE IS NOTHG MORE SHE N DO OTHER THAN TELL HER STORY, AND HOPE TO SPIRE OTHERS, PECIALLY LGBT PEOPLE WHO, IF THEY ARE NSIRG JOG THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY, SHE REMENDS: “I WOULD SAY, ‘RUN AS FAR AS YOU N.’ THIS IS NOT A CHURCH. “WHETHER YOU ARE GAY OR STRAIGHT, DO NOT SET FOOT NEAR PEOPLE ON THE SIWALK ASKG YOU TO DO STRS OR PERSONALY TTS. I THK ADULTS SHOULD TELL CHILDREN WHEN THEY ARE YOUNG NOT JT NOT TO TALK TO STRANGERS, BUT ALSO ABOUT CULTS AND THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY.” ‘WE ARE OUTRAGED BY HER ATTEMPT TO SLANR THE CHURCH’“MICHELLE LECLAIR’S STORY IS PURE FICTN OM A SM ARTIST,” A SPOKPERSON OM THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY TOLD THE DAILY BEAST. “WE ARE OUTRAGED BY HER ATTEMPT TO SLANR THE CHURCH BY FALSELY STATG THAT SHE WAS DISCRIMATED AGAST BEE OF HER HOMOSEXUALY. “IT IS WELL-KNOWN THAT THE CHURCH TAK NO POSN ON SEXUAL ORIENTATN AND MS. LECLAIR’S CLAIMS ARE PLETELY VENTED. IF YOU ARE GOG TO FORWARD SUCH CLAIMS, THERE ARE OTHER RELIGNS WHO DO TAKE A STRONG POSN ON THE SUBJECT, BUT THIS IS JT NOT OUR ISSUE AT ALL. THE FACT THAT THE CHURCH HAD ANY ISSUE WH HER SEXUALY IS UNTE.”IN A FURTHER STATEMENT SENT TO THE DAILY BEAST, A SPOKPERSON FOR THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY SAID, “THE CHURCH IS NOT HOMOPHOBIC. IT STRONGLY PO HUMAN RIGHTS FOR ALL DIVIDUALS, REGARDLS OF RACE, FAH, NATNALY, OR SEXUAL PREFERENCE.”HOWEVER, THE SPOKPERSON WOULD NOT CLARIFY THE CHURCH’S VIEWS ON SPECIFIC LGBT-RELATED ISSU WHEN ASKED BY THE DAILY BEAST TO SUBSTANTIATE WHAT THIS GENERAL STATEMENT PRECISELY, AND PRACTILLY, ENTAILED. A SPOKPERSON CLED TO MENT ON WHETHER THE CHURCH SPECIFILLY SUPPORTED MARRIAGE EQUALY FOR LGBT PEOPLE, ANTI-DISCRIMATN PROVISNS FOR LGBT PEOPLE, FERAL OR STATE BANS ON NVERSN THERAPY, AND WHETHER LGBT UPL SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO FOSTER OR ADOPT CHILDREN. INSTEAD, REFERRED A REPORTER TWICE TO THE CHURCH’S GENERAL STATEMENT.A SPOKPERSON FURTHER CLED TO SAY IF THE CHURCH SUPPORTED THE IA AND PRCIPLE OF NVERSN THERAPY.THE CHURCH’S NTENTN THAT IS OPEN TO, AND ACCEPTG OF LGBT, PEOPLE IS STARK NTRAST TO HOW L. RON HUBBARD, THE CHURCH’S FOUNR, SAW LGBT PEOPLE.QUE TO THE NTRARY OF HAVG “NO POSN” ON HOMOSEXUALY, THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY, AT LEAST HISTORILLY, DID—THANKS TO HUBBARD.IN HIS 1951 BOOK SCIENCE OF SURVIVAL, HUBBARD ORIGATED WHAT SCIENTOLOGISTS LL THE “TONE SLE,” BY WHICH PEOPLE’S EMOTNAL HEALTH IS MEASURED. GAY PEOPLE ARE FOUND AT 1.1, BETWEEN “FEAR” (AT 1.0) AND “ANGER” (AT 1.5), AND ALONGSI “THE LEVEL OF THE PERVERT, THE HYPOCRE, THE TURNAT, .. SUBVERSIVE.” 1.1 ALSO HO “GENERAL PROMISCUY.”THE FILM DIRECTOR PL HAGGIS REFERRED TO THIS CLASSIFITN WHEN HE RIGNED OM THE CHURCH PROTT, AFTER THE SAN DIEGO SCIENTOLOGY CHURCH SIGNED AN ONLE PETN 2008 SUPPORT OF PROPOSN 8, WHICH—WHEN PASSED—ACTED AS CALIFORNIA’S -FACTO SAME-SEX MARRIAGE BAN. “OUR PUBLIC ASSOCIATN WH THAT HATE-FILLED LEGISLATN SHAM .” IN A LETTER TO TOMMY DAVIS, THE CHIEF SPOKPERSON FOR THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY INTERNATNAL—QUOTED AN EXTENSIVE FEATURE ON HAGGIS AND THE CHURCH SELF BY LAWRENCE WRIGHT THE NEW YORKER FEBARY 2011—HAGGIS WROTE THAT “PUBLIC SPONSORSHIP OF PROPOSN 8, WHICH SUCCEED TAKG AWAY THE CIVIL RIGHTS OF GAY AND LBIAN CIZENS OF CALIFORNIA—RIGHTS THAT WERE GRANTED THEM BY THE SUPREME COURT OF OUR STATE—IS A STA ON THE TEGRY OF OUR ANIZATN AND A STA ON PERSONALLY. OUR PUBLIC ASSOCIATN WH THAT HATE-FILLED LEGISLATN SHAM .”IN HIS LETTER, HAGGIS ADD: “I FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT THIS FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS. YOU AND I BOTH KNOW THERE HAS BEEN A HIDN ANTI-GAY SENTIMENT THE CHURCH FOR A LONG TIME. I HAVE BEEN SHOCKED ON TOO MANY OCSNS TO HEAR SCIENTOLOGISTS MAKE ROGATORY REMARKS ABOUT GAY PEOPLE, AND THEN QUOTE L.R.H. (L. RON HUBBARD) THEIR FENSE.”HAGGIS, WROTE WRIGHT, HAD ALSO RELATED A STORY ABOUT HIS DGHTER KATY, WHO HAD LOST THE IENDSHIP OF A FELLOW SCIENTOLOGIST AFTER REVEALG THAT SHE WAS A LBIAN.THE IEND TOLD OTHERS, “KATY IS ‘1.1’”—THE NUMBER ON THE TONE SLE, REFERENCED ABOVE BY HUBBARD, WHICH ALSO CLUS GAY PEOPLE.AS WRIGHT (THOR OF GOG CLEAR: SCIENTOLOGY, HOLLYWOOD, AND THE PRISON OF BELIEF) PUT : “A PERSON CLASSIFIED ‘1.1’ WAS, HUBBARD SAID, ‘COVERTLY HOSTILE’—‘THE MOST DANGERO AND WICKED LEVEL’—AND HE NOTED THAT PEOPLE THIS STATE ENGAGED SUCH THGS AS SUAL SEX, SADISM, AND HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVY.”HUBBARD HAD MORE TO SAY ON GAY PEOPLE. IN DIAICS: THE MORN SCIENCE OF MENTAL HEALTH (1950), HE WROTE, “THE SEXUAL PERVERT (AND BY THIS TERM DIAICS, TO BE BRIEF, CLUS ANY AND ALL FORMS OF VIATN DYNAMIC TWO SUCH AS HOMOSEXUALY, LBIANISM, SEXUAL SADISM, ETC., AND ALL DOWN THE TALOG OF ELLIS AND KRAFFT-EBG) IS ACTUALLY QUE ILL PHYSILLY.”IN SCIENCE OF SURVIVAL, HUBBARD SAID THAT “PEOPLE ON THIS LEVEL…ARE TENSELY DANGERO THE SOCIETY, SCE ABERRATN IS NTAG. A SOCIETY WHICH REACH THIS LEVEL IS ON S WAY OUT OF HISTORY, AS WENT THE GREEKS, AS WENT THE ROMANS, AS GO MORN EUROPEAN AND AMERIN CULTURE. HERE IS A FLAMG DANGER SIGNAL WHICH MT BE HEED IF A RACE IS TO GO FORWARD.”“SUCH PEOPLE SHOULD BE TAKEN OM THE SOCIETY AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE AND UNIFORMLY STUTNALIZED; FOR HERE IS THE LEVEL OF THE NTAGN OF IMMORALY, AND THE STCTN OF ETHICS…”HUBBARD NTUED: “THE ONLY ANSWERS WOULD SEEM TO BE THE PERMANENT QUARANTE OF SUCH PERSONS OM SOCIETY TO AVOID THE NTAGN OF THEIR SANI AND THE GENERAL TURBULENCE WHICH THEY BRG TO ANY ORR, TH FORCG LOWER ON THE SLE, OR PROCSG SUCH PERSONS UNTIL THEY HAVE ATTAED A LEVEL ON THE TONE SLE WHICH GIV THEM VALUE.” “WHILE YOU N PARSE THROUGH THE 75 LN WORDS OF MR. HUBBARD’S WRGS AND LECTUR NCERNG HIS OBSERVATNS ON THE HUMAN NDN FOR MATERIAL YOU BELIEVE SUPPORTS ONE POLIL POSN OVER ANOTHER, WOULD BE DISHONT” HUBBARD ADD THAT THOSE, LIKE GAY PEOPLE, HOED OM 2.0 DOWN ON THE TONE SLE, ULD EHER BE RAISED THE NUMBERED CHART “BY UN-ENTURBULATG SOME OF THEIR THETA [ANALOGO TO THE IA OF ONE’S SOUL] BY ANY ONE OF THREE VALID PROCS. THE OTHER IS TO DISPOSE OF THEM QUIETLY AND WHOUT SORROW.” THE DAILY BEAST ASKED THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY IF STILL SUBSCRIBED TO HUBBARD’S ANTI-GAY WRGS, AND IF SO HOW THAT SAT NEXT TO S PROFSED BELIEF TODAY EQUALY.IN RPONSE, A CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY SPOKPERSON NIED THAT HUBBARD WAS HOMOPHOBIC.“WHILE YOU N PARSE THROUGH THE 75 LN WORDS OF MR. HUBBARD’S WRGS AND LECTUR NCERNG HIS OBSERVATNS ON THE HUMAN NDN FOR MATERIAL YOU BELIEVE SUPPORTS ONE POLIL POSN OVER ANOTHER, WOULD BE DISHONT.“IT WOULD BE EQUALLY DISHONT TO EXTRACT OM THE BIBLE EXHORTATNS TO VLENCE AND MURR TO CREATE PREJUDICE AND BIGOTRY AGAST CHRISTIANS. NO RATNAL PERSON WOULD TOLERATE SUCH AN EXERCISE SOPHISTRY. THE SAME SHOULD BE TE WH RPECT TO THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY.“CHURCH POLICY AND PRACTICE ON THIS ISSUE WAS FIRMLY ARTICULATED BY L. RON HUBBARD 1967, WHEN HE WROTE THE FOLLOWG: ‘IT HAS NEVER BEEN ANY PART OF MY PLANS TO REGULATE OR ATTEMPT TO REGULATE THE PRIVATE LIV OF DIVIDUALS. WHENEVER THIS HAS OCCURRED, HAS NOT RULTED ANY IMPROVED NDN. ... THEREFORE: ALL FORMER L, REGULATNS AND POLICI RELATG TO THE [SEXUAL] ACTIVI OF STUNTS, PRECLEARS, STAFF AND SCIENTOLOGISTS ARE NCELLED.’”LECLAIR DISMISSED THE CHURCH’S FENSE OF S ATTUS TO LGBT PEOPLE.“L RON HUBBARD’S WRG ON GAY PEOPLE SPEAKS FOR SELF,” SHE TOLD THE DAILY BEAST A WRTEN STATEMENT. “HUBBARD’S CHART OF HUMAN EVALUATN, THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY’S NUMERIL MEASURE OF ONE’S EMOTNAL STATE, PLAC HOMOSEXUALS AT 1.1. ACRDG TO HUBBARD PEOPLE AT THAT LEVEL ARE NSIRED ‘EVIL AND UNTSTWORTHY, A CRIMAL.’”IN SCIENCE OF SURVIVAL, LECLAIR SAID, HUBBARD WROTE OF “DISPOSG” OF THOSE 1.1 “QUIETLY AND WHOUT SORROW.” THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY’S “FAIR GAME” POLICY ALSO LAYS OUT WHAT TO DO WH ANYONE WHO SPEAKS OUT AGAST THE CHURCH, SHE SAID. “THEY [FECTORS] MAY BE PRIVED OF PROPERTY OR JURED BY ANY MEANS BY ANY SCIENTOLOGIST WHOUT ANY DISCIPLE OF THE SCIENTOLOGIST. MAY BE TRICKED, SUED OR LIED TO OR STROYED.” LECLAIR ADD: “THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY IS BUILT ON LI AND KNOWN FOR S STCTIVE BEHAVR.” LECLAIR AND THE ALLEGED PONZI SCHEMEIN SEPTEMBER 2012, THE DEPARTMENT OF CORPORATNS FILED A CIVIL ACTN AGAST LECLAIR (THEN KNOWN AS MICHELLE SEWARD) AND HER PRODUCG PARTNER, DROR SOREF, FOR STATE SECURI D.TODAY, THE DEPARTMENT OF BS OVERSIGHT (DBO) IS THE SUCCSOR AGENCY TO THE DEPARTMENT OF CORPORATNS. ON JULY 1, 2013, THE DEPARTMENT OF CORPORATNS MERGED WH THE DEPARTMENT OF FANCIAL INSTUTNS TO FORM THE DEPARTMENT OF BS OVERSIGHT. THE DBO TOLD THE DAILY BEAST THAT LECLAIR AND SOREF PROMISED VTORS THAT THEIR MONI WOULD BE VTED MOVIE PROJECTS, CLUDG THE DIRECT-TO-VIO NOT FOTTEN, AND PROMISED STEADY, HIGH-TERT RETURNS. BUT SOME VTORS LOST THEIR LIFE SAVGS THE SCHEME WHEN THE MOVIE PROJECTS FAILED TO MATERIALIZE OR YIELD PROFS, ACRDG TO THE DBO. LECLAIR SAID AN ANONYMO LETTER HAD STARTED THE VTIGATN PROCS TO HER BS; SHE FIRMLY BELIEV WAS OM A SCIENTOLOGIST; THE CHURCH SAID WAS NOT.THE DBO SAID THE SE WAS BASED ON VICTIM PLATS, VTOR DOCUMENTS, AND RERDS OBTAED OM THE FENDANTS THROUGH DISVERY.THE DBO CLAIMED LECLAIR HAD D APPROXIMATELY 100 CALIFORNIANS (MOST OF WHOM WERE SENRS, LIVG ON FIXED ) OUT OF $23.1 LN RETIREMENT SAVGS NNECTN WH THEIR ALLEGED PONZI SCHEME.LECLAIR SAID SHE HAD LOST LNS OF DOLLARS, AND WOULD VOTE THE RT OF HER LIFE TO MAKG SURE HER CLIENTS REUP THEIR LOSS. SHE ADD THAT SHE FEELS THAT THE CHURCH TURNED “SOMETHG THAT HAPPENED MY BS, A MAN TAKG MONEY OM ME, AND MA LOOK AS IF I DID .” IN 2014, THE DBO ENTERED TO A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WH LECLAIR AND SOREF AND BOTH STIPULATED TO A PERMANENT JUNCTN FOR SECURI D AND AGREED TO REPAY $17.4 LN VTOR RTUTN. THE DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE REVOKED LECLAIR’S SURANCE LICENSE.IN SEPTEMBER 2015, THE LOS ANGEL COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE FILED A 72-UNT CRIMAL DICTMENT AGAST LECLAIR AND SOREF. LECLAIR AGREED TO REPAY VTORS $1.2 LN ILL-GOTTEN GAS (MISSNS) AND AGREED TO TTIFY AT TRIAL AGAST HER -FENDANT AND FORMER PRODUCG PARTNER, SOREF, AS PART OF A PLEA AL WH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY.IN NOVEMBER 2016, A JUDGE EMED THE STATE SE AGAST SOREF WAS TIME BARRED UNR THE STATUTE OF LIMATNS. “LECLAIR WAS NOT CLEARED OF ANY CRIMAL CHARG. THE STATUTE OF LIMATNS JT RAN OUT. ANY CLAIM OF NOCENCE BY LECLAIR, OR THAT SHE FOUGHT SUCCSFULLY TO CLEAR HERSELF OF ALL CHARG, HAS NO BASIS FACTS OR THE EVINCE.”— LILA MIRRASHIDI, PUTY MISSNER, POLICY, DEPARTMENT OF BS OVERSIGHT IN EXCHANGE FOR THE STATE DISMISSG S CRIMAL SE AGAST HER, LECLAIR REPAID VTORS $1.2 LN MARCH 2017. THE SAME MONTH THE STATE DISMISSED 70 OF THE 72 CHARG AGAST SOREF BASED ON THE STATUTE OF LIMATNS, AND ANOTHER TWO WERE DROPPED THROUGH LACK OF PROOF OF TENT TO D.LILA MIRRASHIDI, PUTY MISSNER, POLICY, AT THE DBO TOLD THE DAILY BEAST: “LECLAIR WAS NOT CLEARED OF ANY CRIMAL CHARG. THE STATUTE OF LIMATNS JT RAN OUT. ANY CLAIM OF NOCENCE BY LECLAIR, OR THAT SHE FOUGHT SUCCSFULLY TO CLEAR HERSELF OF ALL CHARG, HAS NO BASIS FACTS OR THE EVINCE.“THE NOTN THAT THIS SE HAD ANYTHG TO DO WH SCIENTOLOGY IS PATENTLY FALSE, JT LIKE THE CLAIM SHE MA TO VTORS HER PONZI SCHEME. LECLAIR NNED CALIFORNIANS WHO WERE MOSTLY SENRS OUT OF THEIR LIFE SAVGS AND SHE GOT UGHT.”“THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY HAD NOTHG TO DO WH THE SE,” SAID MIRRASHIDI. “I AM NOT A SCIENTOLOGIST OR NNECTED TO SCIENTOLOGY ANY WAY,” ADD MIRRASHIDI. “ALSO, NO ONE NNECTED TO THIS ENFORCEMENT ACTN OM DBO—CLUDG COMMISSNER OWEN—IS A SCIENTOLOGIST OR HAS ANY NNECTNS TO SCIENTOLOGY. THE CLAIM THAT DBO’S ACTNS THIS SE ARE ROOTED ANYTHG OTHER THAN FULFILLG OUR DUTY TO HOLD LECLAIR ACUNTABLE FOR BREAKG THE LAW AND BRGG JTICE TO HER VICTIMS IS PURE FANTASY.” “IT IS EXTREMELY NCERNG THAT THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF BS OVERSIGHT IS MAKG OUTRIGHT FALSE AND SLANRO STATEMENTS. THE PUBLIC URT RERD SPEAKS FOR SELF.” IN RPONSE, LECLAIR TOLD THE DAILY BEAST: “IT IS EXTREMELY NCERNG THAT THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF BS OVERSIGHT IS MAKG OUTRIGHT FALSE AND SLANRO STATEMENTS. THE PUBLIC URT RERD SPEAKS FOR SELF. I MATAED MY NOCENCE THROUGHOUT THE CRIMAL VTIGATN. “I VOLUNTARILY SUBMTED TO AN EXTENSIVE TERVIEW WH THE LOS ANGEL DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE AND AGREED TO TTIFY AS A WNS FOR THE PROSECUTN. AS A RULT, THE LOS ANGEL DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE DISMISSED ALL CRIMAL CHARG AGAST ME THE TERTS OF JTICE PURSUANT TO PENAL CO 1385. IT SADNS ME THAT AFTER ALL CHARG HAVE BEEN DROPPED, I AM STILL HAVG TO FEND MYSELF. MY EXPERIENC WH THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY ARE WELL DOCUMENTED PERFECTLY CLEAR AND I STAND BY MY ACUNT.”“I’VE NEVER E OUT AND SAID THAT I THK THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY WAS LLN WH THE STATE,” LECLAIR TOLD THE DAILY BEAST AN TERVIEW. “I WANT TO MAKE THAT VERY CLEAR. WHAT I KNOW FOR A FACT, IS THAT THE MOMENT I STARTED A CLOSE RELATNSHIP WH A GAY WOMAN, AN TERNAL VTIGATN WAS STARTED ON ME BY THE CHURCH’S OFFICE OF SPECIAL AFFAIRS (OSA). I WAS PULLED FOR QUTNG, SO WERE MY IENDS.”DID LECLAIR ACCEPT SHE MTED WRONGDOG, THAT SHE WAS GUILTY OF PROFSNAL MISNDUCT, THE DAILY BEAST ASKED HER.“I LOOK AT THAT MOMENT OF MY LIFE EVERY DAY AND FEEL REGRETFUL. I WAS SUCCSFUL ONE DTRY LIFE SURANCE. I GOT MYSELF TED. I SOPPED UP EVERY SGLE THG, AND CREATED AN EXTRA SUCCSFUL BS. I DIDN’T NEED THAT MAN [SOREF].”“I LOST MY BS, MY LIVELIHOOD, MY LICENSE,” LECLAIR TOLD THE DAILY BEAST. “THE MOMENT I HAD ANY SPICN THAT THE MAN WAS DOG SOMETHG WRONG I NTACTED MY CLIENTS IMMEDIATELY. I CREATED A TST FOR THEM AGAST THE ADVICE OF MY UNSEL. I MA SURE THOSE PEOPLE—MY FAY, MY CLIENTS—WERE TAKEN RE OF BEFORE I WAS. I ALSO FOUGHT TO PROVE MY NOCENCE FOR THREE YEARS, AND THE CHARG WERE DISMISSED. I WILL NTUE TO WORK HARD FOR THEM UNTIL THEY ARE PAID, AND THE DAY THEY ARE PAID I WILL HAVE A GREAT NIGHT’S SLEEP.”LECLAIR HOP TO GET HER LIFE SURANCE LICENSE BACK AGA, AND IS ALSO LNCHG A LE OF BETY PRODUCTS.A SPOKPERSON FOR THE CHURCH SAID, “IT IS SHOCKG THAT AN DIVIDUAL WHO NARROWLY PED JAIL TIME FOR MASTERMDG A MULTILN-DOLLAR PONZI SCHEME WOULD BE EMED A CREDIBLE SOURCE. NOT SHOCKG, HOWEVER, IS HER NEW SCHEME TO MOIZE HER LNS AT THE EXPENSE OF HER FORMER RELIGN. SADLY, MS. LECLAIR HAS TURNED THE BTERNS GROWG OUT OF HER FANCIAL MALFEASANCE TO AN EXCE TO SPREAD HATE AND BIGOTRY FOR SH.”SOREF VEHEMENTLY NIED THAT HE WAS RPONSIBLE FOR THE PONZI SCHEME, AND CLAIMED LECLAIR WAS. HE FIRST SENT THE DAILY BEAST A STATEMENT HIS LAWYER, BRYAN ALTMAN, WROTE: “MR. SOREF WAS ABSOLVED OF ALL THE CRIMAL CHARG BEE OF A LACK OF SUFFICIENT PROOF AND BASED ON THE STATUTE OF LIMATNS. “HE HAD NO ROLE ANY OF THE DULENT MISREPRENTATNS MA BY MICHELLE SEWARD OR BY ANYONE ELSE ACTG AT HER DIRECTN TO THE VICTIMS OF HER CRIM. IN EVERY SE WH EVERY VICTIM MR. SOREF HAD NO TERACTN.“MS. SEWARD’S ATTEMPTS TO P HER CRIMAL ACTNS ON MR. SOREF OR TO SOMEHOW TIE THEM TO THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY RG HOLLOW AND ARE SIMPLY SELF-SERVG AND ENTIRELY IMPLSIBLE.”ALTMAN NTUED: “IF, AS MS. SEWARD MATAS, THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY PROMPTED THE CRIMAL VTIGATN TO HER ACTNS AS A RULT OF SOME ALLEGED DISAPPROVAL OF HER LIFTYLE CHOICE OR SEXUAL PREFERENCE, HOW DO YOU EXPLA THE FACT THAT THE EXACT SAME CHARG WERE ALLEGED AGAST MR. SOREF ABOUT WHOM THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY HAS NO NCERN OR TERT?“HOW DO YOU EXPLA THE FACT THAT MS. SEWARD’S DULENT ACTNS AND THE VTIGATN OF THE SAME BEGAN AND NTUED WELL BEFORE SHE DITED ANY SEXUAL PREFERENCE FOR WOMEN TO ANYONE?“IF, AS MS. SEWARD MATAS, THE VTIGATN AND CHARG AROSE OM SOME ACTN ON THE PART OF THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY, HOW DO YOU EXPLA THE FACT THAT NONE OF THE DOZENS OF ELRLY AND FIRM VICTIMS—WHO WERE D BY MS. SEWARD WHO HERSELF RECEIVED LNS OF DOLLARS OM HER DULENT ACTNS—MENTNED THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY ANY OF THEIR STATEMENTS TO VTIGATG THORI OR THEIR TTIMONY URT OR APPEARED TO HAVE ANY NNECTN WHATSOEVER TO THE CHURCH?”SOREF SAID HE WASN’T PRENTLY ATTENDG THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY, BUT CLED TO SAY WHY OR FOR HOW LONG HE HAD NOT.IN AN TERVIEW, SOREF TOLD THE DAILY BEAST THAT WAS “ABSOLUTELY RIDICULO” THAT THE CHURCH WAS HOMOPHOBIC. HE SAID THAT WHEN LECLAIR TOLD HIM SHE WAS GAY, HE WAS ACCEPTG OF . SOREF CLAIMED LECLAIR WAS CREATG “A FASHNABLE E CéLèBRE” BY CLAIMG THE CHURCH WAS HOMOPHOBIC. SHE HAD MERGED TWO SEPARATE ISSU—HER OWN LEGAL TRAVAILS AND SCIENTOLOGY’S ALLEGED HOMOPHOBIA—FOR HER OWN GOOD, SOREF SAID. “ARE YOU WILLG TO PUBLICLY TRASH YOUR EX, YOUR RELIGN, YOUR IENDS, JT TO GET YOURSELF OUT OF A TIGHT SPOT? SHE’S TRYG TO DUMP ON OTHERS ORR TO CLEAR HER NAME.”— DROR SOREF, LECLAIR’S FORMER BS PARTNER IT WASN’T LECLAIR WHO LEFT THEIR BS PARTNERSHIP AFTER DISVERG HIS MISEDS, SOREF SAID, BUT HE WHO LEFT HER. SOREF ALSO SAID THERE WERE “VERY FAMO PEOPLE” WHO WERE GAY WHO WERE SCIENTOLOGISTS, BUT WOULD NOT DIVULGE THEIR NAM. “I’M NOT SURPRISED TO HEAR SOREF AND THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY HAVE BAND TOGETHER AND ARE ONCE AGA DOUBLG DOWN ON THE LI ABOUT ME THAT THEY HAVE SPERATELY PEDDLED FOR YEARS.” IN RPONSE TO SOREF’S CLAIMS, LECLAIR TOLD THE DAILY BEAST: “I KNEW WRG A BOOK ABOUT MY PE OM SCIENTOLOGY, I WOULD HAVE TO RELIVE PAFUL MOMENTS, FEND MY CHARACTER, AND PROVE MY ACUNTS. IN PERFECTLY CLEAR, I DO EXACTLY THAT. I CHOSE TO WRE MY STORY WH A PULZER PRIZE-WNG VTIGATIVE REPORTER, ROB GABY FISHER, BEE I KNEW THAT HER FACT-CHECKG OF MY EXPERIENC WOULD REQUIRE THOROUGH DOCUMENTATN AND RROBORATN. “OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, ROB TERVIEWED DOZENS OF WNS CLUDG ATTORNEYS AND VTIGATORS, VIEWED EMAILS AND RTRAG ORRS, READ REPORTS WRTEN ON ME OM CHURCH MEMBERS AND WNSED FIRSTHAND THE RS AND PEOPLE STG OUTSI MY HOME. NOTHG MA THE FAL VERSN OF PERFECTLY CLEAR THAT ROB ULDN’T PENNTLY VERIFY. “I’M NOT SURPRISED TO HEAR SOREF AND THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY HAVE BAND TOGETHER AND ARE ONCE AGA DOUBLG DOWN ON THE LI ABOUT ME THAT THEY HAVE SPERATELY PEDDLED FOR YEARS. I STAND BY EVERY WORD OF PERFECTLY CLEAR, AND I NEVER EXPECTED THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY OR SOREF TO THROW ME A BOOK PARTY. IF THEY’RE UNHAPPY WH READG THE TTH, THEN THEY SHOULD STOP ATTACKG PEOPLE WHO AREN’T AAID TO SPEAK UP AND FIGHT BACK.”“GRACE, TTH, AND LOVE WILL ALWAYS PREVAIL,” SAID LECLAIR.OF URSE, LECLAIR ULD HAVE N THE SCHEME AS THE DBO NTEND, AND BEEN TREATED BADLY BY THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY BEE SHE WAS GAY; THE TWO ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLIVE. “THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY IS BUILT ON LI,” SAID LECLAIR OF THE CHURCH’S PHBACK. “ANYTHG THEY HAVE TO SAY DON’T BOTHER ME THE LEAST.” ‘I WAS BROKEN DOWN TO A PULP. SCIENTOLOGY IS GOOD AT MAKG YOU THK YOU’VE GONE CRAZY’TODAY, LECLAIR IS HAPPILY SETTLED ATLANTA. SHE IS OM OKLAHOMA, TENA IS OM MISSISSIPPI. “WE N SAY ‘Y’ALL,’ AND EAT IED OKRA AND NOT FEEL BAD ABOUT ,” SHE TOLD THE DAILY BEAST. LECLAIR’S FOUR CHILDREN ENJOY , NNG AROUND OUTSI AND RIDG BIK ON THE FAY FARM.THE WOMEN FEEL ACCEPTED AS A GAY UPLE. THEY HAVE MANY IENDS. IT’S A WARM AND VG HOME, THEY HOPE. HER 17-YEAR-OLD SON, WHO LIV MALY WH HER EX-HBAND, HAS APPLIED TO STUDY AT LLEG NEAR HIS MOTHER. LECLAIR ALSO HAS AN 11-YEAR-OLD DGHTER, AND 10-YEAR OLD TWS. COURTY OF MICHELLE LECLAIR HER SMALLER CHILDREN, LECLAIR SAID, HAVE LIVED THEIR WHOLE LIV GOG THROUGH WHAT SHE HAS GONE THROUGH. LECLAIR HOP HAS MA THEM “STRONGER AND MORE ACCEPTG CHILDREN.”SHE HAS ASKED HER OLST SON NOT TO READ THE BOOK, BUT KNOWG THAT HE MAY CHOOSE TO READ WHEN HE GETS OLR. LECLAIR WR GRAPHILLY OF THE PHYSIL AND MENTAL ABE SHE CLAIMS HIS FATHER PUT HER THROUGH, AND WHICH HE ADAMANTLY NI.“MY SON IS VERY AWARE OF SCIENTOLOGY ELEMENT AND HE HAS NO NCERN WH THAT. HE IS NOT SUPPORTIVE OF THE CHURCH, BUT HAS HIS OWN RELATNSHIP WH HIS FATHER.” “MY LIFE HAS BEEN SO NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY MICHELLE. I LOVE MY KIDS MORE THAN ANYTHG. IT'S BEEN SO DIFFICULT. IT WASN'T A HAPPY MARRIAGE. I WISH HAD BEEN” LECLAIR'S EX-HBAND, WHO HAS BEEN WH HIS PRENT FIANCéE FOR SEVEN YEARS AND WH WHOM HE HAS HAD A CHILD, TOLD THE DAILY BEAST: "MY LIFE HAS BEEN SO NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY MICHELLE. I LOVE MY KIDS MORE THAN ANYTHG. IT'S BEEN SO DIFFICULT. IT WASN'T A HAPPY MARRIAGE. I WISH HAD BEEN. WHEN I GREW UP ALL I WANTED WAS TO MEET ONE PERSON AND BE WH THAT ONE PERSON ALL MY LIFE, LIKE MY PARENTS."IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO FD OUT THIS PERSON WAS NOTHG LIKE I THOUGHT THEY WERE, EVEN THOUGH WE WERE MARRIED FOR SO LONG. AND 'S HARD ON MY KIDS. I HATE WHAT THIS DO TO THEM."“HDSIGHT IS ALWAYS EASY,” SAID LECLAIR WHEN ASKED WHY SHE DIDN’T SEE THE WARNG SIGNS OF BEG VOLVED WH THE CHURCH THAT SHE NOW SE SUCH NEGATIVE TERMS.“THE SAME THG APPLI TO PEOPLE ABIVE RELATNSHIPS AS DO TO PEOPLE CULTS,” SHE SAID. “I WAS TRAED TO JTIFY EVERY SGLE BAD THG HAPPENG TO ME AS MY FLT. ALL I HAD KNOWN SCE I WAS 18 YEARS OLD WAS SCIENTOLOGY, AND THEY HAD AN ANSWER FOR EVERYTHG. I WOULD GO TO MY MOM AND ALL HER ANSWERS WERE SCIENTOLOGY ANSWERS.”LECLAIR NI SHE STAYED THE CHURCH FOR BS REASONS; SHE SAID THAT SHE DIDN’T E THE CHURCH TO BUILD WORK RELATNSHIPS, THOUGH SHE DID DONATE $5 LN TO . EVERY WAKG MOMENT NOT VOTED TO HER BS WAS VOTED TO THE CHURCH, LECLAIR SAID. “THEY MAY HAVE LOOKED LIKE BELLS AND WHISTL GOG OFF AT VAR POTS, BUT THEY WERE WHISPERS TO ME AT THAT POT. NOW, LOOKG BACK, THEY SEEM LIKE HUGE ALARMS” “YOUR BT IENDS, YOUR -WORKERS ARE ALL UNR ONE ROOF. YOU’RE TRAED TO SEND-GUS YOURSELF, AND SO I WAS LED TO ASK MYSELF IF I WAS BEG A BAD WIFE TO MAKE MY HBAND TREAT ME THE WAY HE DID. THEY MAY HAVE LOOKED LIKE BELLS AND WHISTL GOG OFF AT VAR POTS, BUT THEY WERE WHISPERS TO ME AT THAT POT. NOW, LOOKG BACK, THEY SEEM LIKE HUGE ALARMS. I WAS BROKEN DOWN TO A PULP. SCIENTOLOGY IS GOOD AT MAKG YOU THK YOU’VE GONE CRAZY.”THE TURNG POT ME WHEN SHE WAS “TOLD THAT I WOULD HAVE TO LEAVE TENA, THE LOVE OF MY LIFE, THE PURT THG OUTSI OF MY HAVG CHILDREN.” ‘I’M THANKFUL FOR THE STRENGTH LOVE HAS GIVEN ME’“I DON’T FEEL THE CHURCH’S PRENCE,” LECLAIR SAID OF HER LIFE TODAY. SHE THKS HER EX-HBAND REALIZ THAT IF HE TOOK HIS CHILDREN TO A SCIENTOLOGY CHURCH WOULD BE AGAST THE CTODY AGREEMENT THEY HAD SIGNED. HER OLST SON HAS TOLD HER SCIENTOLOGY HAS NO PRENCE THE CHILDREN’S LIV.“I WANT MY OLST SON TO GROW UP TO BE A PASSNATE MAN WHO HAS A HUGE AMOUNT OF RPECT FOR WOMEN. AND I THK THAT HE WILL. I THK HE KNOWS THAT PLENTY OF THGS HAVE GONE ON, BUT I DON’T WANT HIM TO FORCE HIM TO READ THAT STUFF.“HE SAID TO ME THE OTHER DAY, ‘MOM, I DO WANT TO READ THE BOOK. BUT I DON’T WANT TO READ THE STUFF ABOUT DAD.’ AND I SAID, ‘WELL I’LL RIP OUT THOSE PAG AND YOU N READ THE RT OF .’”HER EX-HBAND KNOWS HE IS UNR “STRICT WATCH,” LECLAIR SAID.THE CHILDREN ARE OLD ENOUGH NOW THAT THEY N SPEAK OUT, SAID LECLAIR, AND HER OLST SON IS VERY PROTECTIVE OF HIS YOUNGER SIBLGS.IN THE PAST, SHE SAID, HER MARK OF SUCCS WAS HOW MUCH MONEY SHE HAD MA AND HOW MUCH MONEY SHE HAD DONATED TO THE CHURCH. TODAY SHE TREASUR THE MOMENTS OF WATCHG HER CHILDREN PLAY OUTSI, AND MEASUR SUCCS ON TELLG TENA THAT SHE LOV HER AND KISSG HER CHILDREN ON THEIR FOREHEADS “AND VALUG KDNS, HUY, GRATU, AND REBUILDG A BETTER FOUNDATN. I’M BETTER TED, AND WORKG WH PEOPLE I KNOW BETTER AND MAKG SURE THE THGS I DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.” COURTY OF MICHELLE LECLAIR HER MOTHER LEFT THE CHURCH 2013, HAVG BEEN A VOTED AND FAHFUL MEMBER FOR YEARS. LECLAIR THKS SHE WAS SPURRED BY THE EXAMPLE OF HER AND TENA FDG LOVE. “I BELIEVE SHE HAS ALWAYS BEEN SEARCHG FOR LOVE. MY GRANDPARENTS HAD FOR 62 YEARS, AND I THK SHE SAW WH TENA AND ME AND OUR KIDS.”NOW, LECLAIR LGHED, HER MOTHER IS A “GOOGLE SPONGE,” WHO HAS A MORNG FFEE, SURVEYS THE WORLD ONLE AND EXCEDLY ASKS HER DGHTER, “I’M WATCHG THIS SHOW LLED WILL AND GRACE.” SHE’S TRYG TO “EMBRACE HER NEW LIFE, HAVG BEEN SHUT AWAY OM THE REAL WORLD FOR 20 YEARS. NOW SHE SS OUT ON HER PORCH WH A GLASS OF WE, WATCH THE HUMMGBIRDS, AND HAS A LTLE DOG.“HER BODY AND MD WERE OUT THROUGH HELL, AND IF TENA AND I N GIVE MY MOM THE NEXT HALF OF HER LIFE A LIFE OF LM, THEN THAT WILL MAKE ME HAPPY.”LECLAIR PAR THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY AS IS TODAY TO THE MOMENT THE WIZARD OF OZ WHERE THE CURTA IS PULLED BACK, AND “’S A LOT OF SMOKE AND MIRRORS. I THK THEY HAVE A LOT OF MONEY AND BUILDGS BUT A DWDLG MEMBERSHIP.“PEOPLE LIKE PL HAGGIS, LEAH REMI, AND MIKE RR HAVE SHONE A HUGE SPOTLIGHT ON THE REALY OF THE CHURCH. WHENEVER ANYONE OUT WH A PERSONAL STORY, ’S A DIRECT H ON MEMBERSHIP AND THE GROUP.” “I HAVE BEEN BEATEN DOWN, SRED FOR MY LIFE, SRED FOR MY CHILDREN’S LIV. I KNOW I AM SAFE NOW, BUT I AM HAVG TO RELIVE THE VERY PAFUL EXPERIENC.” WHILE LECLAIR BELIEV SCIENTOLOGY MEMBERSHIP IS FALLG, “WE SHOULD BE REFUL TO SEE WHAT MORPHS TO. THEY SAY THEY HAVE THE SECRET TO UNIVERSE. WHY NOT SHARE THAT SECRET OR FUND HOSPALS OR DONATE MONEY TO NCER ?”AFTER LECLAIR LEFT THE CHURCH SHE HAD THERAPY BRIEFLY, BUT FELT WAS “DIVG TOO EP TO AREAS AND MAKG ME WEAK.”SHE CRI MUCH EASIER TODAY THAN BEFORE. “I HAVE BEEN BEATEN DOWN, SRED FOR MY LIFE, SRED FOR MY CHILDREN’S LIV. I KNOW I AM SAFE NOW, BUT I AM HAVG TO RELIVE THE VERY PAFUL EXPERIENC. BUT IF ONE PERSON, READG MY BOOK, AN ABIVE RELATNSHIP FDS STRENGTH TO LEAVE; IF STOPS ONE PERSON JOG THE CHURCH; IF ONE PERSON THE CHURCH READS THIS AND REGNIZ I AM LEADG A GREAT LIFE; IF ONE PERSON IS PRSED AND WORRIED ABOUT LOSG ANYTHG, I N TELL THEM I UNRSTAND AND YOU N ALWAYS MAKE BACK.”SHE SE THE YEARS OF 18 TO 40 A “WASTED” TIME, BUT EQUALLY, HAD NOT BEEN FOR SCIENTOLOGY SHE DON’T KNOW IF SHE WOULD HAVE MET TENA OR HAD HER CHILDREN.“I’M NOT THANKFUL TO SCIENTOLOGY, BUT I’M THANKFUL FOR THE EXPERIENC I’VE GONE THROUGH LIFE. I’M THANKFUL FOR NOT BEG RENTFUL. I’M THANKFUL FOR HAVG E OUT THE OTHER SI AND THANKFUL FOR THE STRENGTH LOVE HAS GIVEN ME. I DON’T GIVE SCIENTOLOGY ANY CRED FOR GETTG ME TO THIS PLACE. I GIVE LOVE CRED FOR GETTG ME TO THIS PLACE.” COURTY OF MICHELLE LECLAIR SHE AND TENA ARE ENGAGED AND PLAN TO MARRY NEXT YEAR AT THEIR IEND, THE TV WRER AND PRODUCER NORMAN LEAR’S PLACE VERMONT.“I WOULD LIKE TO HOPE THAT I WOULD HAVE FOUND MY WAY OUT OF THE CHURCH. I WOULD LIKE TO THK MY GUT STCT WOULD HAVE TAKEN OVER SOMEHOW, BUT I DO BELIEVE TENA WAS A GIFT OM GOD.”SHE TEARED UP. “I DON’T KNOW WHERE I FOUND THE STRENGTH, MAYBE THROUGH MY CHILDREN. THEY WERE PART OF , BUT SHE AND I HAVE ONE OF THE MOST UNBELIEVABLE RELATNSHIPS. AFTER ALMOST 10 YEARS NOW, THERE IS NOT A MOMENT WHERE I DON’T WANT TO TOUCH HER AND TELL HER HOW MUCH I LOVE HER AND HOW GRATEFUL I AM FOR HER. I HOPE I WOULD HAVE GOTTEN OUT, BUT I DO LOOK AT HER AS MAKG MY LIFE PERFECTLY CLEAR.”TENA (ABOUT TO PUBLISH A BOOK OF HER OWN ABOUT HER OWN LORFUL HISTORY), IS “FUNNY, SEXY, SMART, WH A GREAT SOUTHERN SI TO HER.”SHE STOOD BY LECLAIR THROUGH ALL HER VAR TRAVAILS, AND SUPPORTED HER TO MAKE HER OWN CISN WHEN ME TO THE CHURCH.TENA ME OUT AT 21, AND LECLAIR ADMIR HER STRENGTH AND RILIENCE. “SHE NEVER MAK EXC FOR WHO SHE IS.”ONE SUNDAY, TENA TOOK MICHELLE TO HER EPISPAL CHURCH, ALL SATS PASANA, AND MICHELLE FELT “A HUGE SENSE OF FAIARY AND OVERWHELMG SENSE OF G HOME.” SHE LLED HER FATHER, WHO TOLD HER SHE’D BEEN CHRISTENED EPISPAL. THE PASTOR THERE WAS A HUGE SUPPORT THROUGH HER LEGAL PROBLEMS, AND SHE FELT NO JUDGMENT (QUE THE OPPOSE) AROUND HER SEXUALY.“FAH IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO ME,” LECLAIR SAID. “BELIEVG SOMETHG BIGGER THAN IS IMPORTANT TO ME.” SCIENTOLOGY DIDN’T PUT HER OFF OF FAH. “I’VE ALWAYS BEEN A SPIRUAL PERSON, SO ULDN’T SEE NOT HAVG SPIRUALY MY LIFE, BUT I DON’T BELIEVE ONLY ONE RELIGN, ONE WORD AND I ULDN’T BE WH A GROUP PREACHG ANYTHG AGAST LOVE AND LGBT PEOPLE.“I FEEL VERY FORTABLE AND ACCEPTED THE EPISPAL CHURCH, AND I TEACH MY CHILDREN THAT THERE ARE RELIGNS THAT ARE SAFE, GOOD, HONT, AND LOVG. THE CHILDREN KNOW JUDAISM, BUDDHISM AND OTHER RELIGNS ARE VERY GOOD. ANYTHG IS FE AS LONG AS ’S NOT A CULT.” LECLAIR LGHED.THERE IS A 19-YEAR AGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HER AND TENA (WHO IS 64), BUT LECLAIR SAYS SHE IS THE “OLD SOUL,” AND TENA “THE YOUNG ONE.” LECLAIR ALSO FEELS HER “REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE” HAS E THE 10 YEARS SCE SHE LEFT THE CHURCH. “IT IS ALL FAKE BEFORE THAT.”SHE WANTS HER CHILDREN TO GO TO SCHOOL AND UNIVERSY, TO ENJOY THEIR LIFE EXPERIENC, PECIALLY LIGHT OF HER GIVG HERSELF TO SCIENTOLOGY OM THE AGE OF 18. SHE WANTS THEM TO MAKE THEIR CISNS ON THE BASIS OF “GOODNS AND HEART,” NEVER MONEY, AND TO EXPLORE THEIR LIV AND SEXUALY AND HAVE DIFFERENT IENDS AROUND THE WORLD. “I’M PROUD OF OUR FAY. I’M PROUD TO BE THE SK I’VE WANTED TO BE FOR SO MANY YEARS. I’M PROUD TO SHOW A HAPPY, BETIFUL FAY AND A LOVG RELATNSHIP.” AFTER FEELG SO MENACED, LECLAIR DON’T FEEL UNR ANY THREAT NOW.“I HAVE HIGH-SECURY MERAS AND ALARMS. I’M SMART ABOUT . BUT AT THE SAME TIME IF PEOPLE WANT TO E AND S OUTSI AND WATCH A LOVG, HAPPY FAY, THEY N E WATCH. WE LIVE A MUNY THAT’S VERY PROTECTIVE AND LOVG. THEY CHECK ON ALL THE TIME."WH THE BOOK, FEELS NICE TO BE ON THE OFFENSE. MY TENTN WASN’T TO STRIKE BACK AT THE CHURCH, BUT TO SHE A SPOTLIGHT ON A VERY HOMOPHOBIC GROUP, AND I THK I HAVE DONE THAT PRETTY WELL.“I’M PROUD OF OUR FAY. I’M PROUD TO BE THE SK I’VE WANTED TO BE FOR SO MANY YEARS. I’M PROUD TO SHOW A HAPPY, BETIFUL FAY AND A LOVG RELATNSHIP. I HOPE WHAT I HAVE EVERYBODY N FD. MY VOICE ISN’T VERY SILENT NOW, AND THAT’S VERY EMPOWERG.” TIM TEEMAN

"I uld be homosexual — and not part of the Church — or I uld be a heterosexual Scientologist. Ron Hubbard’s book on reachg a state of “Clear” or eedom om emotns not available to the nsc md], he says homosexuals should be taken out of society.

Ron Hubbard says about homosexuals and we’ll let you make the cisn.

” I felt I was beg given a choice: I uld be homosexual — and not part of the Church — or I uld be a heterosexual Scientologist.

The enemy my se was homosexualy, and the blow to the enemy was to get a boyiend.

Beg gay Scientology: How Michelle LeClair got out - Big Thk

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WHEN I CAME OUT AS GAY, THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY HUIATED ME