Draven Bennington, the child of Linkin Park's late frontman Chester Bennington, has come out as transgender. Chester Bennington had Draven with his first wife, Samantha Olit, whom he married in 1996 before divorcing in 2005. While Draven was once referred to as 'he,' the 22-year-old has now updated their Instagram bio to include 'she/her' pronouns. The musician shared that her journey was about choosing "the path of happiness and staying true to myself," and expressed gratitude to Samantha's unwavering support throughout it all. On Friday, Draven revealed that her gender transition journey began last August, including hormone replacement therapy.
Draven penned an emotional message on social media on Valentine's Day, writing: "As today is a day to celebrate love and what love truly means, whether it's for a partner, family, or ourselves, I thought it would be a perfect time to show some love to myself.". "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.".
The star added: "In August of last year, I decided to take the path of happiness and being true to myself. I came out as transgender and started hormone replacement therapy, and it has been the best decision I’ve ever made in my life.". The showbiz legend continued: "I do have to say I am very blessed to be able to do this, as well as having very supportive family and friends. I love each and every one of you who have shown me nothing but love and respect and see me for who I truly am.".
Draven was met with an outpouring of support, particularly from mum Samantha, with Bennington writing: "Especially Mom, you've always unconditionally loved me. I'm so blessed to be your child! I love you to the moon and back!'. The TV icon finished by saying: "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.".
The comments section was filled with supportive messages from fans, but it was Samantha's response that truly stood out. "I’m so proud of you," she wrote. "I love you with all my heart and soul. You’re my favorite human on the planet. I just want you happy and healthy forever and always." Draven is known for keeping a relatively low profile, but she has been active on social media. She has previously appeared in MTV's Family Legacy.
