Editing Chester Bennington (section)

===Family and views===
Bennington had a son, born in 1996, from his relationship with Elka Brand.<ref name="orfanides">{{cite news|last1=Orfanides|first1=Effie|title=Chester Bennington's Kids: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know|url=http://heavy.com/entertainment/2017/07/chester-bennington-kids-children-how-many-ages-photos/|access-date=July 21, 2017|publisher=[[Heavy (website)|Heavy]]|date=July 20, 2017|archive-date=July 22, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170722063729/http://heavy.com/entertainment/2017/07/chester-bennington-kids-children-how-many-ages-photos/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2006, he adopted Brand's other son who was born in 1997.<ref name="orfanides"/> He married his first wife, Samantha Marie Olit, on October 31, 1996.<ref name="celeb">[http://www.celebritywonder.com/html/chesterbennington.html Chester Bennington Profile] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061210143235/http://www.celebritywonder.com/html/chesterbennington.html |date=December 10, 2006 }}, celebritywonder.com; retrieved on June 27, 2007.</ref> They had one child together, Draven, born in 2002, who later came out as [[transgender]] in 2024.<ref name="orfanides"/><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/culture/pride/linkin-park-chester-bennington-child-draven-transgender-1235903670/|title=Chester Bennington's Child Draven Reveals They Are Transgender: 'Choosing to No Longer Hide'|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|last=Peters|first=Mitchell|date=February 16, 2025|access-date=March 8, 2025}}</ref> Bennington's relationship with his first wife declined during his early years with Linkin Park, and they divorced in 2005.<ref>Montgomery, James, [https://web.archive.org/web/20070509021944/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1558873/20070504/linkin_park.jhtml Linkin Park's ''Minutes to Midnight'' Preview: Nu-Metallers Grow Up] (May 7, 2007), MTV News; retrieved on June 24, 2007.</ref> 

In 2006, he married Talinda Ann Bentley, a former ''[[Playboy]]'' model with whom he had three children, the first born in 2006, and then twins, born in 2011.<ref name="peopledeath">{{cite news|last1=Runtagh|first1=Jordan|last2=Nelson|first2=Jeff|title=Linkin Park Frontman Chester Bennington, 41, Found Dead of Apparent Suicide|url=http://people.com/music/chester-bennington-dead-suicide/|access-date=July 21, 2017|work=[[People (magazine)|People]]|date=July 20, 2017|archive-date=July 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170721024356/http://people.com/music/chester-bennington-dead-suicide/|url-status=live}}</ref> Chester and Talinda Bennington were harassed by a [[Cyberstalking|cyberstalker]], who was later found guilty in 2008 of tampering with the couple's email and other personal information, as well as sending threatening messages, and was sentenced to two years in prison.<ref name="usa today ap">{{cite news|title=Linkin Park singer's stalker sentenced|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2008-02-20-linkin-park-stalker_n.htm|access-date=April 22, 2017|agency=Associated Press|newspaper=[[USA Today]]|date=February 20, 2008|location=[[Albuquerque, New Mexico]]|archive-date=April 23, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170423070253/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2008-02-20-linkin-park-stalker_n.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

Bennington was a tattoo enthusiast.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s)/no by-line.--> |date=October 10, 2017 |title=Rip Chester Bennington of Linkin Park |url=https://www.inkedmag.com/culture/rip-chester-bennington-of-linkin-park |url-status=live |work=[[Inked (magazine)|Inked]] |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210703140706/https://www.inkedmag.com/culture/rip-chester-bennington-of-linkin-park |archive-date=July 3, 2021 |access-date=July 3, 2021 }}</ref> He had done work and promotions with Club Tattoo, a [[tattoo parlor]] in [[Tempe, Arizona]]. Club Tattoo is owned by Sean Dowdell, Bennington's friend since high school with whom he played in two bands.<ref>Brink, [http://etniessurf.com/blog/2007/03/21/etnies-and-chester-bennington-launch-club-tattoo-collaboration-with-exclusive-art-show-in-nyc/ etnies and Chester Bennington Launch Club Tattoo Collaboration with Exclusive Art Show in NYC!] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090312142926/http://etniessurf.com/blog/2007/03/21/etnies-and-chester-bennington-launch-club-tattoo-collaboration-with-exclusive-art-show-in-nyc/ |date=March 12, 2009 }} (March 21, 2007); retrieved on June 24, 2007.</ref><ref>ClubTattoo.com, [http://www.clubtattoo.com/press.html Press Room] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070609110917/http://www.clubtattoo.com/press.html |date=June 9, 2007 }}; retrieved on June 24, 2007.</ref>

Bennington was an avid sports fan and supported [[National Basketball Association|NBA]] team [[Phoenix Suns]],<ref>{{cite news |last=Vermelin |first=Jérôme |date=July 21, 2017 |title=10 choses... |trans-title=10 things you didn't know about Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington |url=https://www.lci.fr/musique/10-choses-que-vous-ne-saviez-pas-sur-chester-bennington-le-chanteur-de-linkin-park-2059200.html |url-status=live |language=fr |work=[[La Chaîne Info]] |location=Paris |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925172241/https://www.lci.fr/musique/10-choses-que-vous-ne-saviez-pas-sur-chester-bennington-le-chanteur-de-linkin-park-2059200.html |archive-date=September 25, 2020 |access-date=July 3, 2021 }}</ref> [[National Football League|NFL]]'s [[Arizona Cardinals]], [[Major League Baseball|MLB]]'s [[Arizona Diamondbacks]], [[National Hockey League|NHL]]'s [[Arizona Coyotes]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Stone Temple Pilots' Chester Bennington Guests On 'Ferrall on the Bench' (Audio)|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/stone-temple-pilots-chester-bennington-guests-on-ferrall-on-the-bench-audio/|website=[[Blabbermouth.net]]|date=October 18, 2013|access-date=October 24, 2013|archive-date=May 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517032520/https://blabbermouth.net/news/stone-temple-pilots-chester-bennington-guests-on-ferrall-on-the-bench-audio|url-status=live}}</ref> and English football team [[Ipswich Town F.C.|Ipswich Town]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2017-07-21/chester-bennington-ipswich-town-pay-tribute-to-their-most-high-profile-fan|title=Chester Bennington: Ipswich Town pay tribute to their 'most high profile' fan|publisher=[[ITVX]]|date=July 21, 2017|access-date=May 19, 2024|archive-date=May 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240519141031/https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2017-07-21/chester-bennington-ipswich-town-pay-tribute-to-their-most-high-profile-fan|url-status=live}}</ref>

In a January 2011 interview, in response to the [[2011 Tucson shooting]], Bennington said, "There's a non-violent way to express yourself and get your point across&nbsp;– regardless of what you're saying or what your point is. In a free society, people have a right to believe whatever they want to believe. That's their business and they can speak their mind. But nobody, even in a free society, has the right to take another person's life. Ever. That's something that we really need to move beyond."<ref>{{cite news|last=Fischer|first=Reed|url=http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/countygrind/2011/01/linkin_park_chester_bennington_arizona_shooting.php|title=Linkin Park's Chester Bennington Responds to Arizona Shooting|date=January 11, 2011|newspaper=[[New Times Broward-Palm Beach]]|access-date=January 18, 2014|archive-date=February 2, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202152035/http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/countygrind/2011/01/linkin_park_chester_bennington_arizona_shooting.php|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Bennington was a critic of U.S. president [[Donald Trump]]. On January 29, 2017, he tweeted that Trump was "a greater threat to the USA than terrorism".<ref>{{cite tweet | user=ChesterBe| first=Chester| last=Bennington| number=825917601125535744 | title=I repeat..... Trump is a greater threat to the USA than terrorism!! We have to take back our voices and stand for what we believe in | date=January 30, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Haasch |first=Palmer |date=July 20, 2020 |title=Fans of late Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington are sharing his anti-Trump tweets after the president retweeted a video using the band's music |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/linkin-park-trump-chester-bennington-tweets-copyright-video-anniversary-2020-7 |access-date=2024-08-14 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US |archive-date=August 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240814072131/https://www.businessinsider.com/linkin-park-trump-chester-bennington-tweets-copyright-video-anniversary-2020-7 |url-status=live }}</ref> This tweet resurfaced in July 2020 after Linkin Park sent Trump a [[cease and desist]] order for using "[[In the End]]" in an ad for his [[Donald Trump 2020 presidential campaign|re-election campaign that year]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Taylor |first=Joanna |date=July 20, 2020 |title=Chester Bennington's anti-Trump posts resurface after Linkin Park stop him using their songs. |url=https://www.indy100.com/article/chester-bennington-linkin-park-trump-9628216 |newspaper=[[The Independent#The i|indy100]] |access-date=July 20, 2020 |archive-date=October 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201018054321/https://www.indy100.com/article/chester-bennington-linkin-park-trump-9628216 |url-status=live }}</ref>