Neil Gaiman has built a reputation as a progressive voice and ally to women. However, recent allegations of misconduct and revelations about his past association with Scientology have cast a long shadow over his legacy.
Allegations of Abuse
In July 2024, a series of allegations surfaced against Gaiman. Eight individuals, none of whom knew each other, came forward with claims of SA and misconduct spanning decades, from 1986 to 2022. These accusations paint a troubling picture of a man who allegedly used his celebrity and financial power to manipulate and degrade women.
The most disturbing allegations involve Gaiman initiating encounters in the presence of his young son, who reportedly mimicked his father’s behavior by referring to one of the women as a “slave” and demanding she call him “master.” Gaiman has denied these claims, first through his lawyers and later via a statement on his website.
In the wake of these accusations, Gaiman has gone silent on social media. His acclaimed series Good Omens will conclude with a single 90-minute episode, abandoning plans for a third season.
A Hidden Scientology History
Adding to the controversy, Gaiman’s deep ties to Scientology have come under scrutiny, thanks to revelations by Aaron Smith-Levin, a prominent ex-Scientologist. These connections date back to Gaiman’s childhood, when his father, David Gaiman, held a high-ranking position in Scientology’s infamous Guardian’s Office. This division was responsible for covert operations, including the notorious Operation Snow White, which aimed to infiltrate U.S. government agencies.
Smith-Levin alleges that Neil Gaiman himself was the executive director of the Church of Scientology in Birmingham, England, and reached the advanced level of OT4—a rank achieved by only 5-10% of Scientologists.
“Neil Gaiman was literally the executive director of the Church of Scientology of Birmingham, he was also at least OT4. And I’ll tell you, the percentage of Scientologists who ever reached the level of OT4 is probably less, far less than 10, far less than 10%, maybe 5% of all Scientologists ever have done as much Scientology as reaching OT4.” – Levin details in his video.
Scientology’s Influence on Gaiman’s Early Life
Gaiman’s upbringing within Scientology was anything but ordinary. Reports suggest that his parents applied the church’s rigorous and often controversial methods at home. As a child, Gaiman was subjected to Scientology’s auditing processes, which involved discussing deeply personal and potentially traumatic subjects. By the age of seven, he had reportedly completed Grade One of Scientology’s “Bridge to Total Freedom,” an achievement almost unheard of for someone so young.
“A seven-year-old Neil Gaiman says that he has already finished Grade One. That is an auditing level, not a training level. I have never heard of a seven-year-old getting to that level of the bridge. In my 30 years in Scientology, I never got to that level of the bridge.” – Levin details.
As a teenager, Neil worked for the Church of Scientology for three years as an auditor, a role requiring years of specialized training. Former members recall him as ambitious and precocious, traits likely nurtured by his family’s high status within Scientology.
The Fall of the Gaiman Family in Scientology
David Gaiman’s prominence within the church came to a dramatic end in 1981.
“One former member of Scientology who worked with Neil’s parents and was audited by Neil Gaiman recalls him as precocious and ambitious. It was unusual for a teenager to have completed such a high level of training, but the Gaimans were like royalty.”
A power struggle led by Scientology’s current leader, David Miscavige, resulted in David being declared a “suppressive person,” effectively excommunicating him from the organization. This label forced the Gaiman family to sever ties with the church, although Neil’s later attempts to distance himself from Scientology remain contentious.
“In 1981, David Gaiman was promoted to lead the Guardian’s Office, making him one of the most powerful people in Scientology. But the same year, he fell from grace. A new generation of Scientologists, led by David Miscavige, who eventually succeeded L. Ron Hubbard as Scientology’s leader, had L. Ron Hubbard’s ear, and David was caught in that grinder.”
Neil Gaiman has distanced himself from Scientology for decades, although he avoids discussing it in interviews and never makes disparaging remarks. Some felt that Gaiman further disseminated one of Scientology’s lies during his promotional tour for The Ocean at the End of the Lane. According to another defector’s blog, Mike Rinder, Gaiman repeated and embellished a story about a suspicious death that transpired on the Gaiman family’s property in the 1970s. And Gaiman also owned the shares in the family business which was supplying Scientology’s controversial program Narcanon with their vitamins.
“According to public records, he was a shareholder in the family firm G&G Foods, which produces the vitamins used in Scientology’s highly criticized Narconon and Detox practices. Since 2011, he transferred approximately a quarter of a million shares to Scientologist shareholders in 2013. The company is still registered to a Scientologist’s P.O. Box in Wisconsin, where Mary McGrath still works for the Church of Scientology.”
A Complicated Legacy
The allegations against Neil Gaiman have sparked widespread debate, not just about his personal behavior but also about the influence of his Scientology upbringing. While his literary contributions remain significant, these revelations challenge the image of a progressive, feminist ally that Gaiman cultivated throughout his career.
For an in-depth account of the allegations, New York Magazine and Vulture provide detailed reports. These accusations, coupled with his complex Scientology history, have left fans and critics alike questioning the true nature of the man behind the stories.
As Gaiman remains silent, the public is left to grapple with the unsettling implications of these allegations and the deeper questions they raise about power, privilege, and accountability in the literary world.
