Late Linkin Park star Chester Bennington’s child confirms she is trans in proud statement

Draven Bennington, daughter of the late Chester Bennington, has shared she is transgender (Picture: Draven Bennington/Instagram)

Valentine’s Day is a day for showing love, including to yourself, and no one knows that better than Chester Bennington’s child.

The late Linkedin Park rocker’s child revealed in an emotional Instagram post that to celebrate the love-filled holiday, she decided ‘to no longer hide who I am’.

In the letter shared with her more than 17,600 followers, Draven Bennington, 22, who was born male, announced she is transgender and identifies with she/her pronouns.

‘I thought it would be the perfect time to show some love to myself,’ Dravensaid. ‘For a long time, I tried to be someone, someone I truly wasn’t on the inside. Ignoring it worked for a while, but continuously coming to the crossroads of being happy or being complacent was one I couldn’t keep crossing.’

She continued to say that in August 2024, she decided to live freely as transgender and begin hormone replacement therapy.

Admitting it has been ‘the best decision’ she’s ever made in her life, she shared her appreciation for her privilege, supportive friends and family who have shown her ‘nothing but love and respect’.

The touching letter was shared on Valentine’s Day as a form of self-love (Picture: Draven Bennington/Instagram) The 22-year-old thanked her friends and family for their support (Picture: Samantha Bennington/Instagram)

Draven shared a special thank you to her mother, Chester’s first wife Samantha Marie Olit – who has ‘unconditionally’ loved her throughout her life.

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Samantha and Chester wed in 1996 and separated three years after Draven was born in 2005.

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‘You’ve always unconditionally loved me. I’m so blessed to be your child! I love you to the moon and back!’ the late rocker’s daughter said about her mother.

‘With all the support and love I’ve received, I’ve built the strength to love myself. This is why I’m choosing to no longer hide who I am. Love is love. Happy Valentine’s Day.’

Samantha has been a great support system for her daughter as she embarks on her trans journey (Picture: Amy Sussman/Getty Images) Chester was close with all of his children before his death, including Draven (Picture: Gary Wolstenholme/Redferns via Getty Images)

Draven has had a difficult few years after she lost her father in 2017 to suicide when he was just 41 years old.

The late star, who is remembered as one of the greatest rock vocalists of all time, rose to fame as the lead vocalist of Linkedin Park and dabbled in other bands, including Dead by Sunrise, which was initially a side project, as well as Stone Temple Pilots.

In addition to his music career, he also worked as an actor, starring in the 2006 film Crank, followed by the 2009 sequel Crank: High Voltage, and Saw 3D the following year. 

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Tragically, Chester struggled with depression and substance abuse for most of his life and lost his battle nearly a decade ago.

Draven has spoken publicly about her father multiple times, including in 2023 to People, where she said when her dad wasn’t touring, quality time together was of utmost importance.

Draven is the only child of Samantha and Chester (Picture: Samantha Bennington/Instagram) The former couple were together between 1996 and 2005 (Picture: L. Cohen/WireImage)

‘One of our biggest things that we would do together and to go rock climbing,’ she said. ‘And it would be me and my little brother, Tyler, and that would usually be our thing. Every now and then, we’d go out and go rock climbing at this place, Hangar 18. It was just one of our favourite things.’

She has also shared many Instagram posts commemorating her dad and sharing heartfelt memories with her followers.

While Draven was Chester and Samantha’s only child, she remained close with her siblings, including twin sisters Lily and Lila, 13, and brother Tyler, 19, whom Chester shared with Talinda Bennington, and her brothers Isaiah, 27, and Jaime, 28, whom Chester shared with Elka Brand.

‘We’ve always had a great bond,’ she told the magazine in 2023. ‘I definitely have a closer bond with my younger siblings, just because we’re closer in age, but they’re all great.’

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