From coaching the first all-trans rugby match to becoming Mr Australasia Bear, Jeb Maihi Brown talks to Oliver Hall about a journey that blends Māori heritage, sport, and queer pride.
When Jeb became the first Māori trans man crowned Mr Australasia Bear, it was more than just a pageant win. It was a milestone in a journey that’s taken him from the rugby fields of Aotearoa and Australia to the heart of the bear community, from navigating his own transition to coaching a world-first all-trans rugby match.
“I’ve always loved performing and engaging with a crowd,” Jeb says. “Culturally, Māori are extraordinary orators and I grew up listening to my nan, my parents, my aunties and uncles telling stories and passing on their knowledge, always with a laugh along the way.”
That grounding in kōrero — the art of speaking with purpose and humour — has been a constant in his life. It’s shaped how he approaches leadership, visibility, and connection in spaces where trans, Māori, and bear identities intersect.
Owning the Permission Slip
For many, self-acceptance can feel like something you have to be granted. For Jeb, that’s a myth worth dismantling.
“The only permission you need is your own!”
It’s a message he returns to often, especially for young trans or queer Māori men. He knows living authentically can be daunting, and offers a practical way forward: find your people. “Surround yourself with those who lift you up, teach you, and walk alongside you until you find your confidence to be the person you were born to be. Everyone else will fall into line once you own who you are.”
Breaking Ground in Sport
Rugby has always been part of Jeb’s life. But in 2024, his role as coach of the inaugural all-trans rugby match at the Bingham Cup became one of his proudest achievements.
“To see over 60 trans people giving their absolute best over a single match was incredible,” he recalls. “Regardless of where they were in their journey, or if they were only just starting to walk this path, each player came with their own ‘tribe’ — their family, their team, their club mates.”
It wasn’t just about winning or losing. “The talk around trans inclusion in sports often doesn’t include us,” Jeb says. “That match gave a lot of us hope and the self-belief that we are enough and we belong.”
A Title for Tāmaki Makaurau
When Jeb claimed the Mr Australasia Bear title, it was an affirmation not only for him, but for his whānau in Tāmaki Makaurau.
“It was exhilarating, validating, awesome,” he says. “Being so far from home has always had its challenges, and then also transitioning while away from home — this was a way to show my whānau that I’m OK, and I got this.”
Visibility as Leadership
Jeb grew up in the 1990s, a time when trans people in media were almost always portrayed through ridicule or shame. Those portrayals left an impression — and not a good one.
“Visibility is so important for many minorities,” he says. “I’m blessed with the support I have, and it’s given me a responsibility to be visible for the next generation of trans and Māori whānau in the bears.”
The saying you can’t be what you can’t see resonates deeply for him. “I’ve found you can be that — though it can be a tough and lonely journey to get there. Hopefully, by putting myself out there it can remove some of the loneliness and isolation our whānau experience in the community.”
The Intersection of Sport, Culture, and Nightlife
Jeb’s life moves fluidly between spaces that might seem worlds apart: the disciplined camaraderie of rugby teams, the flamboyant energy of drag shows, the close-knit warmth of bear gatherings.
“Every interaction I’ve had across our vibrant and diverse community has added to my cup,” he says. “Growing up with team sports, especially rugby, showed me what it meant to be part of a team. The Queens and Kings I’ve worked with taught me how to have a backbone and use my sense of humour to educate people. The Bears taught me to be comfortable in my own skin. In turn, I hope I can pass these onto others as a proud product of these communities.”
Shaping a Legacy with Whakapapa
Titles and accolades are one thing, but Jeb is focused on what remains after his reign.
“I hope that anyone who has felt marginalised, overlooked, under-appreciated or just plain invisible — as many of our indigenous, POC, and trans people are taught to feel about themselves — knows they have a place here. They are deserving of titles and recognition, and they make our community a more colourful and vibrant one to be a part of.
“I want my legacy to speak to our communities about togetherness and whakawhanaungatanga. I want my legacy to hold the door open for anyone living as their authentic self so they can step through and be embraced just like I have been.”
More than a Sash
To some, the Mr Australasia Bear title is a sash, a crown, a weekend of fun. For Jeb, it’s a platform — one that connects to his whakapapa, his passion for inclusion, and his commitment to making spaces where trans and Māori visibility isn’t an exception, but the norm.
His reign stands as proof that identity doesn’t have to be narrowed down to fit someone else’s idea of belonging. It can be expansive, layered, and proudly yours — whether that’s on a rugby field, a drag stage, or in the middle of a bear dancefloor.
“I’ve been blessed with so much support,” he says. “If I can use that to make someone else’s journey less lonely, then I’ve done something worthwhile.”
