Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner's 15-year-old child, previously known as Seraphina Rose, made their public debut with a new name, Fin, at a memorial service for Jennifer's father. They wore a buzz-cut hairstyle and introduced themselves before reading a bible verse.
A new name can represent a more affirming life for some transgender or gender-nonconforming people, which often means a fresh start, giving them a way to finally live in their truth, Cleveland Clinic explains.
Highlights
- Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck's child, Fin, made their public debut with a new name at a memorial service for Jennifer's father.
- Fin, previously known as Seraphina Rose, introduced themselves with a buzz-cut hairstyle and read a bible verse at the service.
- Bored Panda contacted Jennifer and Ben's representatives to clarify if Fin’s birth name is now considered a dead name.
Refusing to acknowledge a person’s new name or continue to use their old name can be quite invalidating or traumatic, and it is referred to as “deadnaming” someone.
Bored Panda has contacted Jennifer and Ben’s respective representatives to clarify whether Fin’s birth name is to be considered a dead name moving forward and for comment.
In footage obtained by the Daily Mail, Fin didn’t specify which pronouns they use while speaking at the congregation at Christ Church United Methodist in Charleston, West Virginia, on Saturday (April 6).
As a result, Bored Panda has chosen to use they/them pronouns when referring to Fin.
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner's 15-year-old child made their public debut with a new name, Fin, at a memorial service for Jennifer's father
Image credits: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
The teenager has previously been pictured with their new short-cropped hair as early as February this year, but the funeral was the first time they introduced themselves in public with a new name, as per the Daily Mail.
The memorial service was reportedly streamed live on Facebook and was held in honor of Jennifer's father, William Jack Garner, who died a week earlier at age 85.
The live stream showcased William's other grandchildren, 18-year-old Violet Anne and 12-year-old Samuel, before Fin took to the church lectern, saying: “Hello, my name is Fin Affleck.”
They then reportedly read Chapter 16, Verse 8, from the Book of Proverbs: “Better is a little with righteousness, than a large income with injustice.”
Proverbs 16:8 advises that having a modest amount acquired with integrity is preferable to possessing great wealth obtained through unethical means. It emphasizes the value of moral integrity over material gain.
Fin was seen at the congregation at Christ Church United Methodist in Charleston, West Virginia, on Saturday (April 6)
Image credits: Christ Church United Methodist
Last Monday (April 1), Jennifer took to her Instagram page to announce the heartbreaking news that her father had “passed peacefully” the Saturday afternoon prior.
In a carousel of photographs depicting the Elektra star with her dad throughout the years, the 51-year-old actress wrote in the caption: “We were with him, singing Amazing Grace as he left us (did we carry him across or scare him away— valid question.)
“While there is no tragedy in the death of an 85-year-old man who lived a healthy, wonderful life, I know grief is unavoidable, waiting around unexpected corners.
“Today is for gratitude.
“We are grateful for Dad’s gentle demeanor and quiet strength.
“For how he teased with a mischievous smile, and for the way he invented the role of all-in, ever patient girl dad.
“We are grateful for his work ethic, leadership, and faith.”
The memorial service was held in honor of Jennifer's father, William Jack Garner, who died a week earlier at age 85
Jennifer went on to thank the medical communities of Charleston Area Medical Center and City of Hope for providing healthcare and for enabling him “to be in his favorite spots— surrounded by daughters and grandchildren, cheering for his beloved Aggies, captaining a boat, and— most of all—next to his wife of 59 years.”
She continued: “There is so much to say about my dad— my sisters and I will never be done talking about how wonderful he was, so bear with us— but for today I share these memories with my appreciation for the kind and brilliant man, father, and grandfather he was, as well as the loving legacy he left behind.”
Fin, Violet Anne, and Samuel are Jennifer and Ben Affleck’s children. The actors split in 2015 and finalized their divorce in 2018, but they maintain a friendly relationship.
In 2022, Ben married Jennifer Lopez, whose 16-year-old daughter, Emme Maribel Muniz, uses gender-neutral pronouns and has become close with Fin as a step-sibling.
Emme and Fin had been pictured together on a Los Angeles street with Ben on February 12, with Fin sporting an eye-catching temporary pink hair dye, the Daily Mail previously reported.
The first hints of Fin’s new name reportedly came a few days earlier, when the teen was pictured hugging their mom, Jennifer, goodbye at their school bus stop in Brentwood, Los Angeles.
Moreover, in the photo of the touching moment, the name “Fin” could be seen embroidered on their backpack.
The event was streamed live on Facebook
Image credits: Christ Church United Methodist
Meanwhile, J-Lo reportedly first publicly introduced Emme's pronouns to a crowd at the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation's Blue Diamond Gala, where they both performed in June 2022, and she used they/them pronouns to refer to her child.
“[The last time] we performed together was in a big stadium like this, and I ask them to sing with me all the time, but they won't,” the 54-year-old said onstage, as per the Daily Mail.
She continued: “So, this is a very special occasion because they're very, very busy and booked and pricey.
“They cost me when they come out, but they're worth every single penny because they're my favorite duet partner of all time.”
According to They Is My Pronoun, using a gender-neutral pronoun like the singular "they" can be a way to signal to others that a user does not want to be automatically grouped along with people who use she or he – usually women/girls/ladies or men/boys/gentlemen – for activities or invitations, etc.
It can be a request that one’s preferences or habits or dis/likes or comfort not be assumed based on one’s (perceived) assigned sex.
Many people came in support of Fin on social media
