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NEW BOOK - Perfectly Clear: Escaping Scientology And Fighting For The Woman I Love

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NEW UPCOMING BOOK - Perfectly Clear: Escaping Scientology And Fighting For The Woman I Love, by Michelle LeClair and Robin Gaby Fisher.

Hardcover available September 11, 2018.


https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/...leclair-with-robin-gaby-fisher/9781101991169/

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Perfectly Clear: ESCAPING SCIENTOLOGY AND FIGHTING FOR THE WOMAN I LOVE

By MICHELLE LECLAIR and ROBIN GABY FISHER

Category: Religion | Biography & Memoir

Hardcover –

Hardcover PRE-ORDER

Sep 11, 2018 | 304 Pages

Ebook +

Audio +

ABOUT PERFECTLY CLEAR

The revelatory memoir by former “poster girl for Scientology” Michelle LeClair about her defection from the Church, her newly accepted sexual identity, and the lengths to which Scientology went to silence it.

For years, Michelle LeClair, former President of Scientology’s international humanitarian organization, tried to reconcile her same-sex attraction with the anti-gay ideology of the church. Michelle finally ends her horrific marriage, finds the love of her life, a woman, and ultimately leaves the Church. But the split comes at a terrible price. Her once pristine reputation is publicly dragged through the mud, the police raid her home, her ex-husband tries to gain full custody of their children, and the multi-million dollar business she built from scratch is utterly destroyed.

In this tell-all memoir, Michelle offers an insider’s perspective on Scientology’s pervasive influence, secret rituals, and ruthless practices for keeping members in line. It’s a story of self-acceptance, of finding the strength and courage to stand up for your emotional freedom, and of love prevailing.

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HT - Tony Ortega: https://tonyortega.org/2017/12/23/a...ology-and-danny-masterson/#comment-3676198883

Tony notes:

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I think some of you know I've written about Michelle (Seward) LeClair in the past, and that her story is somewhat problematic. Going to be interesting to see how this book handles that. Memoirs tend to be a little one-sided.
\
This is a major author (in the ghostwriting role) and a major house.

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CommunicatorIC

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The Amazon page for the book is up.

https://www.amazon.com/Perfectly-Clear-Escaping-Scientology-Fighting/dp/110199116X/

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Perfectly Clear: Escaping Scientology and Fighting for the Woman I Love Hardcover – September 11, 2018

by Michelle LeClair (Author),Robin Gaby Fisher (Author)

#1 New Releasein Scientology

Kindle $13.99

Hardcover $17.72

The revelatory memoir by former "poster girl for Scientology" Michelle LeClair about her defection from the Church, her newly accepted sexual identity, and the lengths to which Scientology went to silence it..

For years, Michelle LeClair, former President of Scientology's international humanitarian organization, tried to reconcile her same-sex attraction with the anti-gay ideology of the church. Michelle finally ends her horrific marriage, finds the love of her life, a woman, and ultimately leaves the Church. But the split comes at a terrible price. Her once pristine reputation is publicly dragged through the mud, the police raid her home, her ex-husband tries to gain full custody of their children, and the multi-million dollar business she built from scratch is utterly destroyed.

In this tell-all memoir, Michelle offers an insider's perspective on Scientology's pervasive influence, secret rituals, and ruthless practices for keeping members in line. It's a story of self-acceptance, of finding the strength and courage to stand up for your emotional freedom, and of love prevailing.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Michelle LeClair is the former president of Scientology's international humanitarian organization. Michelle separated from the Church in 2011.
Robin Gaby Fisher is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist (and three time nominee) and the national bestselling author of After the Fire and The Boys of the Dark. Robin has co-authored multiple books including Choosing Hope by Sandy Hook teacher Kaitlin Roig-DeBellis.

Product details

Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley (September 11, 2018)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 110199116X
ISBN-13: 978-1101991169
Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.8 x 8.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: Be the first to review this item
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #24,895 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
#9 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Other Religions, Practices & Sacred Texts > Scientology
#158 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Leaders & Notable People > Religious
#1201 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Memoirs

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Ex-Scientologist Michelle LeClair Says Church Officials Humiliated Her After She Came Out as Gay

People: Ex-Scientologist Michelle LeClair Says Church Officials Humiliated Her After She Came Out as Gay

https://people.com/books/michelle-leclair-scientology-humiliated-came-out-gay/

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JOHNNY DODD TIERNEY MCAFEE

Eight years ago, Michelle LeClair was wealthy, successful and a self-described “poster girl for Scientology” who donated millions to the controversial church. But she says her seemingly perfect life was thrown into turmoil after she came out as gay to the church.

In her new memoir, Perfectly Clear, the former Scientologist and mother of four claims that the church humiliated and persecuted her over her sexuality, ultimately leading her to defect. The church denies her claims, calling them “delusional and paranoid.”

LeClair, 45, tells PEOPLE in a new interview for this week’s issue that when she first tried to come out to the church, an official (known within the church as an auditor) gave her writings by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard that denounced homosexuality.

“L. Ron Hubbard considered homosexuals and other ‘perverts’ as ‘evil, untrustworthy, a criminal,’ “ LeClair writes in an exclusive excerpt featured in this week’s issue of PEOPLE. “My hands trembled.”

The second time she tried to open up about her sexuality, she was punished, LeClair tells PEOPLE. “I had to go around to all the members inside the church, confess to them what I was thinking, what I was doing. People would look at me in the face and say, ‘You are disgusting.’ ”
“I think I was so confused within myself,” LeClair explains. “I was being taught how to push down those feelings.”

Fearing punishment, LeClair writes in her book that she lied and said she’d never acted on her attraction to women.

LeClair, who says she faced pressure from the church to marry, eventually wed struggling actor Sean Seward, with whom she had four children: Sage, 17, Savannah, 11, and twins Jadon and London, 9. But their marriage soon soured and later, when she confessed her past attraction to a high school girlfriend with whom she’d had a dalliance, Seward reported it to the church.

“I was ordered to walk the halls of the Scientology Celebrity Centre [in Hollywood] asking random members to read and sign my confession,” LeClair recalls. “I needed 25 signatures to be allowed to rejoin the church. I was so mortified that, after 10 or 15 requests, I ran to the bathroom and sobbed.”

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CommunicatorIC

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Cele|bitchy | People features Scientologist who came out as gay, had her business ruined by the cult

https://www.celebitchy.com/591015/p..._as_gay_had_her_business_ruined_by_the_cult_/

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That brings us to the story that covers People this week. A woman named Michelle LeClair has a new book coming out called Perfectly Clear: Escaping Scientology and Fighting for the Woman I Love. It’s the story of how the cult humiliated her and ruined her multi-million dollar insurance business after she tried to come out as gay. She gave millions to the cult, Jason Beghe did too, but she was punished and made an outcast after she admitting that she was gay. She was coerced into marrying a man and living a life she considered a lie. When she finally had the courage to leave, Scientology used the court system to ruin her company. She was ultimately vindicated, but not until she lost everything. Here’s a segment from People’s story, with much more at the source:

[SNIP]

[From People]

This is not surprising in the least. We’ve heard so many stories like this it’s chilling. Scientology also commits human rights abuses by using slave labor and low paid labor, and Leah Remini has confirmed that they commit child abuse and neglect in their childcare facilities. Just among other books about the cult there’s Leah’s book Troublemaker along with Going Clear, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely, Beyond Belief, Blown for Good, Ruthless and I’m sure I’m forgetting several.

It’s interesting that People just ran a cover about Tom Cruise in July, meant to coincide with MI5, that was generally positive about him. I think that Cruise and his team are going to limit access for People, but except from Top Gun, which will sell itself, he doesn’t have any projects in the pipeline. It’s safe to criticize Scientology again and this will move copies. Hopefully it will put another face on the people who are abused by this cult. LeClair was a highly successful self made businesswoman, she wasn’t some rube. Even if she was, no one deserves to be treated like this.

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CommunicatorIC

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In responding to the story, the Church of Scientology said:

"Contrary to the myths spread by Ms. LeClair and her publishers as they try to sell her book, the Church has no position on sexual orientation. The Church is on record as being opposed to discrimination of any sort."
https://people.com/books/michelle-leclair-scientology-humiliated-came-out-gay/

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As noted above, in response to the story the Church of Scientology specifically said: "Contrary to the myths spread by Ms. LeClair and her publishers as they try to sell her book, the Church has no position on sexual orientation."

It is impossible for a church or religion to have "no position on sexual orientation." A church either performs gay weddings or it doesn't. A church either has gay clergy and other staff members (and doesn't demand they remain chaste or change their sexual orientation), or it doesn't. A church either accepts gay parishioners (and doesn't demand they remain chaste or change their sexual orientation), or it doesn't.

If a church performs gay weddings, has gay clergy and other staff members (and doesn't demand they remain chaste or change their sexual orientation), and accepts gay parishioners (and again doesn't demand they remain chaste or change their sexual orientation), then it is truly accepting of gay people, supportive of gay rights, and non-discriminatory.

If a church does NOT perform gay weddings, OR does NOT have gay clergy and other staff members (without demanding they remain chaste or change their sexual orientation), OR does NOT accept gay parishioners (again without demanding they remain chaste or change their sexual orientation), then it is NOT fully accepting of gay people, supportive of gay rights, and non-discriminatory.

The Church of Scientology cannot have it both ways by not taking a position. It is impossible.
 
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CommunicatorIC

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Dlisted now has a story about Michelle LeClair's new book, and has some pointed comments for Jenna Elman.

A Former Scientologist Wrote A Book About Her Ugly COS Coming Out Story

http://dlisted.com/2018/09/05/a-for...e-a-book-about-her-ugly-cos-coming-out-story/

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Name one gay Scientologist. Scratch that, name one openly gay Scientologist. I certainly can’t think of one. And if you Google “Scientology homosexuality” you won’t be able to find out the organization’s official policy because apparently it’s “don’t ask, do tell (your auditor)”. So much for finding out about it straight from the source, Jenna!

[SNIP]

After that Michelle decided she needed a divorce and threatened to stop making donations until they let her get one. I guess Jenna wasn’t answering her calls or something.

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CommunicatorIC

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What Ponzi scheme was she accused of being involved in? Just curious.
Tony Ortega wrote stories about the case when Michelle LeClair was using her former married name of Michelle Seward:

https://tonyortega.org/2017/03/18/s...n-reaction-to-leah-remini-getting-2nd-season/
(Third Item: Prosecution against Scientologist filmmakers falls apart)

https://tonyortega.org/2016/11/15/i...n-scientology-face-75-years-for-ponzi-scheme/
(Lead story)

https://tonyortega.org/2015/06/04/s...lanet-all-ideal-orgs-saint-hill-size-by-2016/
(Second Item: Michelle Seward and Kirstie Alley)


Tony's most recent update, from 2017 and linked above, states:

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Prosecution against Scientologist filmmakers falls apart

Last November we laid out the very serious criminal charges that were facing a filmmaker and a former insurance executive who had met in Scientology and then had financed a movie together that had badly flopped. Film director Dror Soref and his insurer on the project, Michelle Seward, were accused of using a Ponzi scheme to raise $21.5 million for the 2009 Simon Baker film, Not Forgotten, that took in only $142,055 at the box office. At that time, the two were facing 75 years each in prison as a preliminary hearing was about to get under way.

But now, as explained in an excellent Courthouse News piece by Matt Reynolds, all charges have been dropped against Soref after Seward worked out a deal to provide testimony against him.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor found that prosecutors had taken too much time to bring charges against Soref, who had spent five months in jail before the trial. According to Reynolds, Soref is now considering filing litigation after his ordeal.

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CommunicatorIC

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The Rutgers University profile for Robin Gaby Fisher, Michelle LeClair's co-author:

https://vpa.newark.rutgers.edu/faculty/robin-gaby-fisher/

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JOURNALISM FACULTY

Robin Gaby Fisher


Robin Gaby Fisher is a two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist for feature writing and the New York Times bestselling author of seven non-fiction books.

In her position as Director of the Journalism Program, she sets the course schedule, recruits the teaching staff, advises students and teaches various courses, including Basic and Advanced Reporting and News writing and Narrative Storytelling.

For 15 years, she worked as a news features writer for The Star-Ledger, New Jersey’s largest daily newspaper, leaving in 2008 to pursue her career as an author of non-fiction books. Fisher has been awarded with the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard’s Taylor Family Award for Fairness in Newspapers. Her newspaper series about the Seton Hall arson fire was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in feature writing and her stories about the lives of three troubled youths from New Jersey’s inner cities was a Pulitzer finalist in the same category. She was also a member of the Star-Ledger team that won the Pulitzer Prize for coverage of the resignation of New Jersey Governor James McGreevey.

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ILove2Lurk

Lisbeth Salander
. . .
I've got a pre-release copy of the book and will try to read the gossipy
parts this weekend and post a review on Sunday. We'll see.

If it gets into too much detail about movie financing and the subsequent
court trials, I may be out of my depth. (That might be in HelluvaHoax!'s
wheelhouse, since he's posted about this case in the past.) But I can read
the gossipy and more pedestrian chapters. See how it grabs me. :whistling:

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