Perth’s reigning Mr Bear Perth has taken out the top spot in the national competition making him Mr Australian Bear!
The national competition was held in Melbourne on Friday night and Jeb Maihi Brown is now the first transgender person to hold the coveted title.
Last year Brown chatted to OUTinPerth about finding community in The Bears Perth and through LGBTIQA+ rugby team The Rams.
“Some of my closest friends I’ve made through the Bears. On paper, we shouldn’t even know each other, there’s just so many guys from different, diverse backgrounds.” Brown said.
“I love the the fact that the Bears give a social experience to people who don’t have to go clubbing, who don’t have to go to parties, or you don’t have to go to the sauna to meet people. You can just spend a Saturday at Loton Park and and mix and mingle, and who knows who you’re going to meet along the way.
“They’ve been so welcoming with me from day one.” he shared.
Jeb Brown takes over from last year’s champion Tia, making it two years in a row a Māori man has won the competition. The last Western Australian to win the competition was Mitchell Bertolini in 2021.
