Welcome to 2017! Mariah Brown, the daughter of Kody and Meri Brown, came out on Sunday, proving that progressive, heartwarming things can happen this side of New Year's Eve. The announcement occurred on TLC's Sister Wives, the show about fundamentalist Mormons — which makes this particular coming-out story all the more important.
Mariah's parents participate in a polygamist family. Meri is one of four wives — the other three are Janelle, Christine, and Robyn. (Kody is technically only married to Robyn.) So, when Mariah came out on the show, she wasn't just talking to a parental duo. No, as People reports, the 21-year-old announced her sexuality in front of Kody, Meri, Janelle, Christine, and Robyn.
"I'm gay," she announced.
Of course, as history has taught us, fundamentalism and queerness don't necessarily go hand in hand. Although the family isn't enthused about her sexuality, they seemed pleased that Mariah is coming into her own.
"We’re not happy Mariah’s gay; we’re happy Mariah knows herself," Kody, the family patriarch said.
As for Mariah? She's a pretty badass 21-year-old who just came out on national television. Her Twitter bio reads: "ask me about my radical feminist agenda." Last week, she wrote, "just had a conversation with friends in a pub in ireland about gender stereotypes because that's just what i do." She thanked her Twitter followers for their support after the episode aired, because social media isn't always dark and full of terrors.
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wow okay y'all making me cry with your support. thank you thank you thank you thank you???️?
— mariah (@mariahlian) January 2, 2017
Already, 2017 is looking up.