Unspun

Tristan was born and raised in a high-control religious group now known as the 2x2 Church. After being out for more than 20 years, he has taken a new path in his deconstruction journey by stepping into the advocacy space. Over the past two years, he has been helping raise awareness and speak out on issues including religious trauma, indoctrination, coercive control, high-control groups, and men’s...

Rusty is a highly regarded New Zealand comedian based in Christchurch, known for his award-winning stand-up and energetic live performances. He has been a staple of the South Island comedy scene and has been described as a "cult classic" comedian.  Rusty is known for his fast-paced, often chaotic, and "hilarious" storytelling, with reviews calling his work a "finely polished masterwork". His mater...

Roydon Gibbs grew up as a second-generation member of a Jehovah's Witness family. In the early 1950s, his mother, grandmother and father were recruited by Jehovah's Witnesses and became members. A decade later, Roydon was born, the youngest of five children in a family fully immersed in the world of Jehovah's Witnesses. At the age of 15, he became a ‘dedicated’ member and left school t...

Jonas Skogstroll is a Swedish comedian, human rights activist, and—perhaps most famously—a goat farmer living in Norway. Having grown up within the strict confines of the Jehovah’s Witnesses , Jonas spent his early life being told that the world outside the organization was a place of darkness and despair. Since leaving, he has dedicated himself to proving the exact opposite: that there is a wealt...

Jennie Burt was born into the Jehovah’s Witness faith, a world that shaped every aspect of her childhood. Raised within a strict and insular belief system, she was baptized at just 12 years old and quickly became a door-to-door Pioneer, dedicating her young life to the teachings she had been raised to believe without question. But by the age of 15 or 16, Jennie’s life took a dramatic turn when she...

Scott is a first time filmmaker. He was raised in the Northwoods of Wisconsin in the heart of the Great Lakes region, where the culture is fiercely DIY. His dad joined the Jehovah’s Witnesses when he was child. Taught by eccentric parents to defy cultural norms, Scott created his first two student documentaries at 17 in a high school program. He worked at Channel 7 News running camera and sound in...

Laura was recruited into Shincheonji, a Korean Christian cult, in Auckland at the age of 27 and was a member for 5 years, giving up her job, savings and distancing herself from friends and family. She has been out for over 5 years now and has slowly rebuilt her life, rediscovering who she is, from running a marathon to taking hip hop classes, dipping her toes into the world of dating apps, travell...

An incredible conversation with Alisa Woodruff and Jaya Mangalam Gibson. We’re really excited for you to hear this one. Alisa Woodruff is a counsellor, artist, based in Christchurch, New Zealand. She recently completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Creative Arts Therapy and is interested in how creativity, storytelling, and reflection can help people make sense of complex life experiences. As a second...

A survivor of both the Fourth Way and Falun Gong, Jaya Mangalam Gibson has spent over a decade deconstructing the complexities of high-control environments. As a volunteer organiser for Uncult Ōtautahi survivors group and a key member of the Decult team, Jaya is dedicated to building peer-led support systems for those navigating the aftermath of spiritual and psychological abuse. Through  Unspun ,...