Ben Affleck & Jennifer Garner Praised For Good Parenting After Their Teen Comes Out With A New Name
Jennifer and Ben are allowing their child to live in their truth.
Tinseltown / Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock Despite being almost nine years since Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner ended their marriage, the two A-list Hollywood stars have continued to be the best parents to their three children. Affleck and Garner are often seen together supporting their kids at different social events, including school functions and sports games.
Recently, though, Affleck and Garner have gained some recognition and praise for allowing their children room to express themselves and be the best version of themselves.
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner were praised for their parenting after their teen came out with a new name.
Affleck and Garner's middle child debuted their new name at the memorial service for Garner's dad on March 30.
While speaking at the service, streamed live on the Charleston, West Virginia, Christ Church United Methodist Facebook page, Affleck and Garner's teenager said, "Hello, my name is Fin Affleck." Wearing a black pantsuit and buzzcut hairstyle, Fin introduced themself before reading a bible verse.
Fin's new hairstyle was first seen in February 2024 while out and about. During another outing that same month, they were photographed wearing a backpack with the name "FIN" embroidered across the front. Both Affleck and Garner have been vocal about giving their children the freedom to be who they want to be, especially as they grow up in the spotlight.
During a March 2024 interview with People, Garner admitted that while she will always be proud of her children no matter what, it has been hard to allow them to carve their own paths in this world.
"They’re really solid right now," Garner told the publication. "I’m just watching them in this new phase of life where they’re figuring out who they’re going to be and what they’re going to study. And I’m so interested in them. All the time. I’m interested in everything about them."
It's always refreshing to see parents choose love and support over judgment and control, especially in the public eye.
Despite the onslaught of praise and compassion that people have shown Affleck and Garner for allowing their teen to express their true identity, others have criticized the former couple. Arguments have been made that Fin is "too young" and has no idea what gender identity means, and shouldn't be allowed to transition.
To that baseless argument, it's been proven that children as young as 3 years old can demonstrate awareness of their gender identity. It's not uncommon for transgender individuals to express feelings of gender dysphoria from childhood. In a 2022 study published in the journal Pediatrics, researchers followed 317 young children from the ages of 3 to 12 who identified as transgender. Five years later, at the study’s end, 94% were living as transgender, and almost two-thirds were using either puberty-blocking medication or sex hormones to medically transition.
Just as adults have the right to privacy regarding their own identity and personal experiences, for some reason, society feels some type of ownership over a child, especially one that isn't their own. Affleck and Garner have beautifully shown that parenting isn't about being selfish but rather stepping back and allowing children to develop and express their own unique identities in a supportive and nurturing environment.
They're also not the first celebrity parents who have faced both praise and scrutiny for prioritizing their child's autonomy and decisions about their identity. Dwayne Wade has been extremely vocal and open about his daughter Zaya coming out as transgender to him when she was 12.
During a June 2023 talk at the Creative Artists Agency Amplify event in Ojai, California, Wade was asked about the "landmark moment" that Zaya came out to him as transgender. He admitted that he'd prepared for years for his child to come out in some fashion after she described herself as gay on a school assignment at the age of 8.
"So I came home, and I just remember my child being scared to talk to me, like hiding in my wife's arm in a chair," said Wade, who is married to actress Gabrielle Union. "I think I'm this dad that's like, 'Hey, come and tell me anything! I'm a cool dad.'"
Photo: lev radin / Shutterstock
Wade explained that he had to take a moment to really look at himself in the mirror and question what it was about him that made his child scared to tell him the truth about herself. He began listening a lot more, both with Zaya and parenting experts.
"In a lot of work as parents — and as people — what we do is we put our fears and everything on our kids. And I guess I was doing that," he said. "So I had to go look myself in the mirror and ask myself... What is it about my masculinity that has my child afraid?"
In a world where celebrity parents are constantly scrutinized for how they raise their children, parents like Affleck, Garner, and Wade exemplify the true meaning of accepting your child with love and compassion. The most important thing you can give your child is being there for them as they navigate their authentic selves, no matter what that may look like.
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.