Mr Bear Perth makes history as first transgender Mr Australasia Bear
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Mr Bear Perth makes history as first transgender Mr Australasia Bear
Mr Bear Perth, Jeb Maihi Brown, has made history as the first transgender titleholder of the Mr Australasia Bear Competition.
It was a truly epic night at the most anticipated event of Australasia’s annual bear festival, Friday, Southern Hibernation.
Six amazing titleholders from Australia and New Zealand took to the stage to compete in the Mr Australasia Bear Competition.
With Mr Bear Perth, Jeb Maihi Brown, winning the title to thunderous applause and cheers at The Laird and around the world via the competition livestream.
Jeb’s win is one for the history books for the Australasian Bear title, as he is its first transgender winner.
Five years ago, before transitioning, Jeb couldn’t attend Mr Bear Perth’s title competition, as the event was men only.
Now he not only represents Perth’s bear community, but also the spirit and pride of our wider Australasian community.
“I just want to make you proud,” Jeb said upon winning the title.
“Not just not just Australia, not just Perth, not just New Zealand, but Australasia.”
“I try not to leave men in the world where they get overlooked because it’s isolated.
“And this is what it’s about for everybody.
“So thank you very much.”
Jeb shared love and support for his fellow contestants as well as his friends and family watching the livestream from home.
Saving his biggest thank you for his wife.
“That woman is my top, so that I can give myself to others and do what I want to do, and that is priceless.”
“I’m so lucky,” Jeb said.
“It’s an honour and a privilege to wear this.”
“I’m just grateful to be here.”
Bears can be something different.
Upon the announcement of Jeb’s win, the Bears Perth social media exploded with pride.
“Perth had produced another Mr Australasia Bear, the amazing Jeb Maihi,” they posted.
“The first ever Trans Man to win the title.”
“This didn’t just happen; we stand on the shoulders of those who made Bears Perth a more inclusive space.
“People like Mitch, Rene, Sam and others.
“They said, Bears can be something different, and here we are.
“Could not be prouder to continue the legacy of inclusion.”
After a week of fun events and an interview with the judges, the six titleholders took to the stage for three big rounds of the Mr Australasia Bear Competition.
Last year’s competition saw the most diverse and intersectional group of competitors the title had ever seen.
It’s something that has continued with a class that included nonbinary, First Nations, transgender and Māori representation.
Mr VicBears 2025 Billy, Mr Harbour City Bears 2024 Ajay, Mr Bear SA 2024 Jace, Mr Bear QLD 2024 Wes and Mr Perth Bear 2024 (now Mr Australasia Bear 2025) Jeb and Mr Bear NZ 2025 Luke all did their communities so very proud.
‘This was such a hard competition to judge.’
Round One had them step up in a ‘Bear Casual’ look, sharing with the audience their chosen charity and what the title means to them.
Stripping down for Round Two in ‘Bear Minimum’ in a truly titlating and cheeky round, answering questions from the judges.
Finally came Round Three, the ‘Talent Round’, where you truly never know what you are going to get.
But every single one of them shone so brightly, bringing something unique to the competition and the community.
Mr Bear SA 2024 Jace opened the round singing Mr Cellophane from the musical Chicago and sharing their history feeling invisible.
Construction Worker Mr Harbour City Bears 2024 Ajay pulled out his toolbox and built the bear of his dreams onstage.
Mr Perth Bear 2024 (now Mr Australasia Bear 2025), Jeb performed a freestyle rap and dance routine that not only entertained, but also educated and totally slapped.
Luke, Mr Bear NZ 2025, performed a truly stunning operatic performance onstage.
Mr VicBears 2025 Billy gave an entertaining ‘cooking’ segment, making a sandwich and giving the term bread a new meaning.
And finally, Mr Bear QLD 2024 Wes gave a fantastic lip synch to ‘He’s a Man’ by Bob Vylan.
Transformation from He-Man’s Prince Adam to their colourful, hairy, nonbinary self.
VicBears President Adam Walton was also one of the judges of the competition.
He shared how proud he was of this year’s competitors on LGBTQIA+ radio station JOY 94.9 this morning.
“They all did such an amazing job, and I have judged these comps before and can honestly say this was the hardest one I have ever had to judge.”
“Everyone of them did a fantastic job.”
‘Who else am I supposed to be.’
This year was the 25th year of the Mr Australasia Bear Competition, a milestone that was quickly surpassed by Jebs’s sashing as the first trans winner.
Talking with QNews after their win, Jeb shared that he took a chance with his powerful rap for the Talent Round.
“I had never done anything like that rap or performance number before.”
“But if this moment was my last five minutes onstage, I was going to take the opportunity to use my voice that way.
Jeb ended the Talent Round with the lyric ‘If I could tell my younger self, it’s good to be alive’ and was met with huge cheers from the crowd.
Earlier in the week, Jeb shared with QNews how he felt when people commented that there are so many trans people now.
“I don’t want to sound melodramatic, but I don’t think people realise that the reason is because trans people stopped killing themselves.”
“It took me thirty-two years to be honest with myself.”
And continues to lift others up.
“I don’t know how to be anything but myself,” Jeb told us.
“After so many years of not being able to be myself, who else am I supposed to be?”
“There are so many more people out there like me.
“Just like there are so many out there, like Perth and Australasia Bear’s first nonbinary titleholder, Mitch.
“I was one of those people, and I am just paying it forward in terms of what the community has given me.
“I am like this because my mum raised me right.
“She is a strong woman, and that made me a strong woman, who then became a strong man.”
Upon winning the title, Jeb’s phone was ringing off the hook as he spoke to his wife, sister, Nanna and Mum.
‘The impact one can make is so damn powerful’
Outgoing Mr Australasia Bear 2024 Tia (formerly Mr Bear NZ and the first indigenous Māori to enter the NZ comp) gave us one last twerk before making his step-down speech.
This morning, he took to social media to reflect on his title year.
“I am proud, I am thankful, I am honoured.” Tia wrote.
“The impact one can make is so damn powerful.”
“Not once did I imagine little chubby me would be able to have such an impact within our bear communities, and wider LGBTQIA+ communities.
“To be able to bring our Bear Communities visibility, bringing us to the forefront not only on queer articles/media but to main stream news.
“Being a bridge for Māori and POC folk to know we are safe and we have a home here with the Bears.
“The Bears are a community, a family where we can thrive!
“See you on the dance floor, cause I still need to twerk and put my back out!”
Congratulations to everyone involved in making this year’s Mr Australasia Bear and Southern Hibernation a success.
The bear festival wraps up today but there’s still time to party with Jeb as he kicks off his reign, so see you on the dance floor.
Congratulations, Mr Australasia Bear 2025, Jeb Maihi Brown.
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