What to Know
Leon Brown, who is the only child of Kody Brown and Meri Brown, recently said they’re interested in sharing their story publicly. Although they appeared on Sister Wives as a teenager, they haven’t spoken about what it was like to grow up in their family or be on the reality TV show.
A lot of fans of the show were excited to hear that Leon is ready to share their story on their own terms. However, some people took issue with the fact that they wanted to set some boundaries first.
Leon received some “pushy comments” about sharing specific things.
@leointhemtns i listened to tyler glenn’s excommunication this morning and this is what it got me. doing this for the younger parts of me who couldn’t. there’s… a lot. and i’m done being quiet about it anymore. #realitytv #polygamy #cult ♬ original sound – leon b
And they wanted to remind everyone that even though they once appeared on TV and now share content on social media, that doesn’t mean the public is entitled to information about their life. In a video shared on TikTok at the end of June, Leon clarified that they would only be sharing what they want to share. Fair enough. Why should they have to share something they’re uncomfortable with sharing, just because people are curious?
Toward the beginning of the video, Leon said that before they actually start sharing their story, they want to set clear boundaries and be transparent about what it is that they will (and won’t) be sharing. “Hi, my name is Leon, and I grew up in a cult, and then on TV when I was 14,” they started. “And I’ve been trying to share my story.”
When they first expressed a desire to share their story on their own terms, they received comments asking for details to be shared promptly.
So, Leon wanted to make one thing very clear: “No one is entitled to my story,” they said. “No one is entitled to my time. Anything I share is something I want to share. I’m doing this on my own timeline.”
Again, Leon said they’d really like to share their story—but those who are interested in hearing it will have to “be patient.” Which sounds totally fair.
They also said they’ve received comments about their siblings.
@leointhemtns don’t make it weird, yall. i’m liberal with the block button… being respectful takes nothing from you. i want to share and i will, but yall better behave. #denver #cult #cultsurvivor ♬ original sound – leon b
But they do not plan on speaking about any of their siblings, because their siblings’ stories are not theirs to tell. “I will be sharing about me and my story and my experiences exclusively,” they clarified.
At the end of the video, Leon also added that they’re a human being, and even though they’re on social media and have been on TV, they have no desire to live the life of a celebrity. This means that they don’t want people coming up to them in public, which is something that has happened to them before.
“I’m not out in public to be people’s entertainment or to be consumed by people,” they explained. “I’m out in public to live my life. So, if you see me out, don’t come say hi. If you have something to say, you can send me a message.”
These boundaries were surprisingly controversial.
@leointhemtns happy pride yall. stay soft & protect your peace 🌈✨🌱
♬ Sand Drawing – Judah Earl
While a lot of people felt that Leon didn’t say anything unreasonable, some people found the video about these boundaries to be overly “harsh.” It garnered a significant amount of criticism, prompting Leon to make a follow-up video in which they spun around outside. They captioned it with, “imagine hating me for having boundaries but i’m literally just spinning around in my backyard.”
Some people in the comments seemed equally perplexed by the backlash. “I don’t understand everyone’s confusion with your post about boundaries…” one commenter wrote. “nobody has the right to approach a person and physically touch them or bombard them with tons of personal questions.”
After all, sharing your story publicly doesn’t mean that people are entitled to any information that they want to know. Some things are simply intrusive, even if someone is opening up about their life online. “I don’t understand why people don’t get that you don’t want to be a celebrity, you just want to tell your story,” another person commented. “It’s like me uploading a story on Tiktok does it mean now I’m a celebrity and want people to approach me? NO…”
“Leon you have a right to be heard, but also a right to privacy!” someone else said. “Best believe we are sat but only share the things YOU want to. You owe us nothing!”
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