Classic Episode: Navigating Identity and Faith in New Zealand (with Shaqaila Uelese)

All Out in the Open

All Out in the Open, Questions from the Closet

Latter-day Saint, Christ, Society & Culture, Mormon, Gay, Religion & Spirituality, Faith, Lgbtq, Transgender, Church Of Jesus Christ, Christianity, Lgbt, Lds

5 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 11 November 2025

⏱️ 50 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

OUT and About: Iese Wilson takes us to New Zealand where Shaquaila Uelese opens up about growing up, discovering her identity, and embracing the Māori term Takatapui. While her family initially struggled with her coming out, their love helped her reconnect with God and heal her testimony. Shaq also shares the inspiration behind her nonprofit, Nevertheless, which helps people heal from shame, and offers powerful advice to anyone who feels different.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello and welcome to All Out in the Open. My name's Charlie Bird. I'm here with Ben Shalati, and we are so excited for this week's episode.
0:07.4	On this episode of Out and About, Jesse Wilson is taking us on a tour of the LGBTQ landscape around the church. And our first stop on this tour is the South Pacific. We're going to New Zealand.
0:16.8	It's going to be so fun.
0:17.8	And he introduced us to his friend,
0:19.3	Shakela Uwelese, who identifies as Takatapui.
0:22.4	And I did practice that a ton because I do not speak Maori. You did a great job. And what's so cool about this is I know almost nothing about what it's like to live in New Zealand, to be an LGBTQ person there. And the term Takatapui is the term I learned today. Yeah, it was so fun to listen to.
0:38.9	It makes me actually want to take a trip to New Zealand. And I guess we get to right now,
0:43.1	we get to hear about Shikala's experiences coming out to her family and kind of building her
0:48.3	identity, working at the MTC. I can't wait for you to listen to it.
0:51.8	We think you'll really enjoy it.
1:03.8	All right, everyone.
1:04.5	Aloha.
1:06.4	Welcome to Out and About,
1:08.5	where we're going to go on a tour through the various stories of LGBTQ Latter-day Saints from all over
1:13.0	the church, different cultures, different backgrounds throughout the world at times, where we're
1:17.9	going to learn about our modern pioneers. My name is Yese Purcell Wilson, and I'm coming to you, folks,
1:26.3	from the lands of the Thono Odom tribe,
1:30.4	located here in Mesa, Arizona. And I'm excited to learn from our current guest, which is Shikala Uolese.
1:41.2	Kiyo-da, yes, thank you for having me on today it's awesome to be here wonderful having you here
1:47.6	I think especially in the church when we hear the stories like especially the older generation
1:51.8	of Matthew Cowley to Milwaukee and stuff like we have the church has always had this
1:57.2	wonderful view of the Māori folks so it's special to have you here.
	...

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