'Sister Wives' star Leon Brown comes out as transgender

Publish date: 2024-05-05

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“Sister Wives” star Leon Brown has come out as transgender in a poignant Instagram post, revealing that they have known from a young age that they were not a girl.

Brown, 26, is the only child of Kody Brown and his first wife, Meri, whose polygamous family is at the center of the long-running TLC reality TV series, which aired its 16th season earlier this year.

“Someone recently told me that i didn’t have to have all of my s–t figured out in order for me to share myself with the world,” Brown wrote on their Instagram account Tuesday.

“So here’s me, definitely not having almost any of my s–t figured out, to let you know that i am trans. my name is Leon or Leo (i love both) and my pronouns are they/them.”

The 26-year-old shared a photo of themselves standing in a pair of brown shorts and sandals in a doorframe.

Brown had come out as lesbian in Season 11 of “sister Wives.”

“Sister Wives” on TLC follows the polygamous marriage of Kody Brown, seen with Robyn, Meri, Christine and Janelle Brown. Ethan Miller
Leon is the only child of Meri and Kody Brown. Instagram/Meri Brown

“I remember the first time that i knew i wasn’t a girl,” the reality show cast member wrote. “I was pretty young & unfortunately i grew up in a context that was incredibly gendered & restrictive. so i continued to be socialized as a girl & later a woman. and here’s the thing, i’m finally ready to share my favorite self with the world. and that self is incredibly genderqueer, trans, and unapologetic.

Brown continued: “Being queer & trans are definitely some of my favorite parts of myself. and yet, there are so many things that i am learning to love about myself through this process. here’s to me getting to know myself, share myself, and continually evolve to be the person i am, to be my favorite self in all contexts.”

Mom Meri Brown responded to Leon’s coming out message by featuring it in her Instagram Stories and writing, “You are my sunshine.” Instagram/Meri Brown
“Sister Wives” star Leon Brown, 26, has come out as transgender in an Instagram post. Instagram/@mariahbrwn

Brown warned that those who are unwilling to use their new name, or address them by their correct pronouns “do not need to speak to or about me.”

Brown grew up as one of 18 children in Kody Brown’s plural marriage with Meri, Robyn, Janelle and ex-wife Christine Brown.

Mom Meri, 51, responded to her child’s coming out message by featuring their photo in her Instagram Stories, which she captioned: “You are my sunshine.”

Leon Brown got engage to Audrey Kriss, who is also transgender, in 2019. Instagram/Audrey Kriss

Brown’s fiancé Audrey Kriss also applauded their announcement, writing in the comments section: “Love you so much and so proud of you.”

The pair got engaged in 2019 after two years of dating. Kriss announced they were transgender in December 2021.

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