Leon Brown grew up on television as part of the large family featured on TLC’s Sister Wives. The only child of Meri and Kody Brown, Leon became familiar to viewers long before publicly sharing their identity as a transgender, genderqueer person. Since stepping away from regular appearances on the reality series, they have married longtime partner Audrey Kriss and spoken more openly about aspects of their childhood. Their story includes significant changes both within the Brown family and beyond the cameras.
Leon Brown, also known as Leo, is the only child of Sister Wives stars Meri and Kody Brown. Born in 1995, they publicly came out as transgender in 2022 and use they/them pronouns. Leon married Audrey Kriss in October 2022 and has largely stepped away from reality television.
Family Profile
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Leon Brown (also Leo) |
| Previously Known As | Mariah Brown |
| Date of Birth | July 29, 1995 |
| Age | 31 (as of October 2026) |
| Parents | Meri Brown and Kody Brown |
| Family | Meri’s only child; one of Kody’s 18 children |
| Spouse | Audrey Kriss (married October 29, 2022) |
| Known For | Appearances on TLC’s Sister Wives |
| Education | Westminster College; Loyola University Chicago |
| Public Interests | Writing, yoga, and social justice |
| Pronouns | They/them |
Who Is Leon Brown on Sister Wives?
Leon was born on July 29, 1995, during the early years of Kody Brown’s plural marriage. Meri, Kody’s first wife, is Leon’s biological mother. Although Leon has no biological siblings through Meri, they grew up alongside siblings from Kody’s relationships with Janelle, Christine, and, later, Robyn Brown. The larger family eventually included 18 children, counting those Kody adopted.
When Sister Wives premiered in September 2010, it followed the everyday realities of a family practicing polygamy. Leon was a teenager at the time, and viewers watched them discuss school, family expectations, and future plans. Leon ultimately became one of several adult Brown children whose lives were no longer regularly documented on the show.
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Early Life and Their 2026 Account of a Religious Upbringing
Leon’s early years were shaped by the Brown family’s religious community. In an August 2026 TikTok video, Leon recalled living in Wyoming from roughly age three until ten, before moving to Utah. They described being homeschooled and having limited contact with children outside their religious circle. After the move, they attended religious classes on several days of the week.
Speaking about that experience, Leon used the word “cult” to describe the community in which they were raised. As reported by PEOPLE in August 2026, they also remembered enjoying aspects of religious education while reconsidering its influence on them as an adult. That distinction matters: Leon was sharing a personal assessment of their upbringing, rather than making a claim about every family member’s experience.
Their comments also came as other members of the Brown family were publicly reflecting on childhood and faith. Christine Brown Woolley, one of Kody’s former wives, used similar language in her 2025 memoir. Leon’s account was especially notable because they had otherwise spoken relatively little about those formative years in recent public appearances.
Leon Brown’s Original Name and Coming Out
Viewers of early Sister Wives seasons knew Leon by the name Mariah Brown. They publicly came out as gay during the show’s 2017 season. Their understanding of their identity continued to develop, and in June 2022 they introduced themselves to a wider audience as Leon or Leo, explaining that they are transgender and genderqueer.
In the 2022 statement covered by Out, Leon specified that their pronouns are they/them. They also described growing up in an environment with restrictive expectations about gender, and asked others to respect their chosen name and pronouns. Using Leon or Leo today, rather than the name associated with old television episodes, follows that clearly stated preference. Meri shared a supportive response to their announcement.
Education, Social Work, and Writing
Leon pursued higher education after growing up in the public eye. They studied at Westminster College in Salt Lake City and later attended Loyola University Chicago, where reporting has documented their graduate studies in social work and social justice. Coverage of Kody Brown’s adult children reports that Leon completed a master’s degree in 2020.
Their interests have also extended into writing and reflective essays. On their public Substack, ramblings to the dirt & sky, Leon has published poetry and personal reflections about change, grief, acceptance, and everyday life. Those posts provide a different perspective from the family storylines that introduced them to television audiences. An up-to-date employer or professional title should not be assumed from older online biographies.
Leon Brown and Audrey Kriss: Their Relationship and Marriage
Leon and Audrey Kriss were together for years before their marriage became public knowledge. They met while attending college and announced their engagement in January 2019. Their relationship and wedding plans appeared in earlier Sister Wives coverage, even as both later chose a quieter life outside the series.
The couple married on October 29, 2022, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Their marriage became widely reported in August 2023 after journalists obtained marriage documentation. Us Weekly confirmed the date, distinguishing the ceremony itself from the later news reports about it. Audrey has also spoken publicly about being transgender, and the two have shared occasional messages celebrating their relationship.
What Leon Has Shared About Top Surgery
In January 2023, Leon posted a TikTok featuring a quiet morning routine and showing the results of gender-affirming chest surgery. Their public post was covered by The Ashley’s Reality Roundup. The video centered on ordinary moments, including making coffee, rather than presenting the procedure as a television storyline.
Audrey has separately discussed their own experience with gender-affirming surgery. Those disclosures should not be taken as evidence about additional procedures, diagnoses, or other private health matters. Similarly, photos of Leon at different times do not establish claims about weight loss, treatment, or changes in their health.
Leon’s Relationship With Their Mother, Meri Brown
Although Leon rarely appears on Sister Wives now, Meri has spoken about their connection. In a December 2024 interview with PEOPLE, she said the two talked often and explained that Leon had decided not to be highly public. She therefore avoids sharing details that Leon has not chosen to disclose.
This is a useful distinction for viewers: not appearing alongside a parent on television does not necessarily mean the relationship has ended. Meri’s remarks described an ongoing relationship at the time of that interview. They also underscored why audiences should not expect every family interaction to be documented through episodes or social media posts.
Why Leon Publicly Challenged Kody Brown
In November 2025, Leon directly disputed Kody’s statements about efforts to contact his adult children. During a Sister Wives episode, Kody said he had reached out repeatedly and suggested that some children had not reciprocated. Leon responded in an Instagram Story, saying they had not heard from their father since their brother Garrison Brown’s death in March 2024 and alleging Kody had ignored them at Garrison’s funeral.
Leon called Kody a “liar” and a “joke of a father,” comments documented in Us Weekly’s November 25, 2025 report. These statements present Leon’s account of a painful family disagreement, while Kody’s televised remarks present his own. The reporting establishes that the accounts conflict; it does not independently verify every private attempt at communication between them.
Where Is Leon Brown Now in 2026?
By 2026, Leon was living a life far less visible than the one captured during the show’s early seasons. Previous coverage has placed Leon and Audrey in the Denver area, although a current residential location should not be treated as established without a recent public statement. Leon has used the social media name @leointhemountains and has posted videos on TikTok, including their August 2026 reflections about childhood.
The important updates are concrete: their 2022 marriage, the identity they publicly shared, their writing, and their later statements about growing up in the Brown family. Claims involving a baby, fundraising campaigns, or unrelated people who share their name should not be attached to them without reliable evidence.
Conclusion
Leon Brown is more than a familiar face from the early years of Sister Wives. They are Meri and Kody Brown’s only child together, Audrey Kriss’s spouse, a writer, and a former reality television participant who has chosen a more selective public presence. Their statements in 2025 and 2026 have added their own perspective to the Brown family’s widely televised story, while leaving room for a life beyond it.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What was Leon Brown’s original name?
They appeared in older Sister Wives episodes as Mariah Brown. In June 2022, they publicly asked to be known as Leon or Leo and specified that their pronouns are they/them.
2. Are Leon Brown and Audrey Kriss married?
Yes. Marriage records reviewed by Us Weekly establish that Leon and Audrey married on October 29, 2022, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. News of the ceremony became widely public in August 2023.
3. Why did Leon Brown call Kody Brown a liar?
In November 2025, Leon disputed Kody’s televised statement that he had repeatedly contacted his children. Leon said they had not heard from him since Garrison Brown’s death in March 2024 and criticized his behavior at the funeral.
4. Did Leon Brown have top surgery?
Leon shared a TikTok in January 2023 showing the results of gender-affirming chest surgery. They have not made that public disclosure an invitation for speculation about any other medical decisions.
5. Does Leon Brown have a baby?
There is no credible public announcement establishing that Leon and Audrey have a child. Online searches for “Leon Brown baby” should not be treated as evidence of parenthood, particularly because several people share the same name.
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