Shivangi Sinha
The Raëlian movement gained significant attention in the United States when discussions about human cloning were at the forefront, coupled with their bold claim of successfully cloning the first human baby. At the center of these controversial events was Brigitte Boisselier, a prominent figure within the movement. The claims of human cloning stirred widespread debate and ethical concerns, propelling the Raëlian movement into the mainstream. Brigitte Boisselier provided her perspective on these groundbreaking assertions, offering insights into the movement’s beliefs and practices, as documented in the Netflix series ‘Raël: The Alien Prophet.’
Brigitte Boisselier was the Raelian Scientific Director of Clonaid
Brigitte Boisselier, born in 1956 in France, had a Catholic upbringing. Fueled by a passion for science, she pursued higher education at the University of Dijon, obtaining a master’s degree in biochemistry and later securing a PhD in chemistry. In the 1980s, she earned another PhD in Chemistry from the University of Houston. Boisselier returned to France in 1984 and commenced employment with Air Liquide, an industrial gas company. Despite being married and having two children, she expressed a sense of spiritual void in her life during this period.
Brigitte Boisselier encountered the Raëlian movement during the 20th-anniversary celebration in France, where she was introduced to leader Raël. Struck by his charisma, she perceived him as an extraordinary figure, attributing the design of everything to a higher force. Boisselier regarded Raël’s book, “Le Livre Qui Dit La Verité” (The Book that Tells the Truth), as a refreshing perspective, appreciating the scientific and philosophical explanations of evolution presented within. She remembered thinking “There’s someone behind everything who designed it all.” Convinced by Raël’s teachings, she officially converted to Raëlism in 1993.
As criticism mounted against the Raëlian movement in France, Brigitte Boisselier actively defended her association with the group. Despite facing disappointment from her parents, who viewed it as a “cult,” Boisselier remained resolute in her beliefs. In 1997, when Raël revealed the formation of a team dedicated to human cloning, he appointed Brigitte as the scientific director of the organization called Clonaid. This revelation, however, led to her termination from her job, and she also experienced the loss of custody of her 8-year-old child after her name became public in connection with Clonaid.
During this challenging period, Brigitte Boisselier felt that she had nothing left to lose, and, driven by a desire to make her children proud of her work, she committed to her responsibilities with honesty. Due to French laws imposing a three-year prison term for those supporting cloning, Brigitte relocated to the United States and began working as a teacher.
Initially, she joined the State University of New York at Plattsburgh and later transitioned to Hamilton College. Simultaneously, she established a laboratory for Clonaid. In 2000, Mark Hunt and his wife paid Clonaid $500,000 to clone the child they had lost. Brigitte and Raël held a press conference, introducing the surrogate women who would carry the child, including Brigitte’s eldest daughter, Marina, who had also embraced Raëlism.
In March 2001, Brigitte Boisselier was invited to the US Congress to present her argument in support of cloning, attracting significant media attention. She stated that she was conducting experiments with cow eggs before progressing to human eggs for cloning. This ignited a nationwide debate on cloning, and Brigitte became a prominent figure in the discourse. Shortly thereafter, the FDA intervened, shutting down the cloning laboratory under its jurisdiction, and opposing human cloning. Brigitte then asserted that she had secured another investor and established the laboratory in a different country, providing no further details.
Brigitte Boisselier claimed that due to the extensive media coverage in 2000 and 2001, she received numerous emails from parents expressing a desire to clone a child. A couple dealing with infertility specifically asked her to clone a girl child. In December 2002, she made a public announcement that Clonaid had successfully created a human clone, and the newborn girl was named Eve. Despite the intense media scrutiny, Brigitte remained tight-lipped about the details surrounding Eve.
Brigitte Boisselier is Living in Mexico Even Today
In 2003, attorney Bernard Siegel filed a motion for the court to examine the welfare of the child born under unprecedented circumstances. Brigitte Boisselier was subpoenaed and attended court, where she asserted that the child was born in Israel. The judge concluded that he had no jurisdiction over the child or the case. Brigitte further stated that she had not seen the child in person but had viewed her through videos. This led to a debate over the veracity of Brigitte’s statements, with concerns raised about the truthfulness of her claims regarding the birth of the child.
In response to these accusations, she said. “For those who say it’s all fake, that it’s a hoax, they’re allowed, as long as I haven’t provided proof… since I didn’t follow through with the proof, with the evidence, it made sense that I was dragged through the mud.” In the documentary, Brigitte Boisselier maintained her assertion that baby Eve is real and alive. She explained that she rarely contacts the parents, and when she does, it is always through a third party. According to her, the reason for not showcasing the baby to the world is its perceived lack of usefulness. When confronted with the hypothetical scenario of discovering that everything was a lie, Brigitte expressed that she would laugh and remain unchanged in her identity and actions.
As a public figure, she took on a leadership role in a Raëlian project starting in 2007, dedicated to combating female genital mutilation. Brigitte led Clitoraid, a Raëlian-affiliated group that raised funds for restorative surgery for women with damaged clitorises. She continues to adhere to Raëlism and it seems like she currently resides in Isla Espíritu Santo, Mexico, a place she calls her own “planet.”
Read More: Where is Raëlian Damien Marsic Now?
