Meet Big Brother's First Transgender Houseguest

Big Brother will welcome its first transgender houseguest this summer.

When CBS announced the cast on Tuesday, it did not discuss the gender identity of Audrey Middleton, a 25-year-old digital media consultant who will compete for the $500,000 grand prize. However, later that day, TMZ revealed Middleton is transgender.

"Audrey Middleton is a Big Brother super fan who applied online, like many other hopeful Houseguests, and was open about her transition in the application process," CBS said in a statement to Entertainment Weekly. "It is customary for Big Brother Houseguests to share personal news inside the house, and Audrey plans to discuss her story with the houseguests in her own words during the premiere episode on Wednesday, June 24."

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Middleton is far from the first openly transgender person to appear on a reality show. Chaz Bono made history on the 13th season of Dancing with the Stars, Alexis Arquette appeared on The Surreal Life, Cycle 11 of America's Next Top Modelfeatured a transgender contestant, and before Laverne Cox starred on Orange Is the New Black, the actress competed on I Want to Work for Diddy in 2008.

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