By James Vituscka and Russ Weakland for Dailymail.Com
18:46 Jul 11, 2024, updated 23:24 Jul 11, 2024
- Teenager demands ‘mandatory masks’ in medical facilities
- “She’s wanted to do this for a while, but they wanted her to wait,” a source says.
- Violet’s unexpected speech was met with both praise and criticism
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner set strict guidelines for their daughter Violet ahead of her impassioned speech about imposing “mask mandates” — demanding that she thoroughly educate herself on the topic and wait until she turns 18.
Violet called for an end to all “mask bans” in medical facilities and government buildings in an impassioned plea to the Los Angeles County governing body earlier this week, in which she detailed her experience contracting a “post-viral illness” in 2019.
Despite growing up in the spotlight, the teenager has maintained a minimum of silence, but reportedly decided to speak out publicly to end persistent speculation surrounding her prolific mask-wearing and accusations of “hypochondria.”
“She’s wanted to do this for a while but her parents wanted her to wait until she was 18,” a source told DailyMail.com exclusively. “It shows she’s choosing this for herself and not doing it because she’s told to.”
The source confirmed that her parents used their influence to smooth things over, as they stated: “Her parents support her in whatever she chooses to do and were able to pull strings to get her to appear before the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. They are proud of her.”
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is the governing body of Los Angeles County, where Violet resides. The board regularly holds meetings where the public can sign up to speak on specific issues.
During her speech, Violet cited her experience contracting a “post-viral illness” as she urged the council to “address the long COVID crisis” by strengthening pandemic-era protections in hospitals and government buildings.
“I am demanding the availability of masks, air filtration, and far-UVC light in government facilities, including jails and prisons, and mask mandates in county medical schools,” Violet said.
“We need to expand the availability of free, high-quality testing and treatment, and most importantly, the county must oppose bans on mask wearing for any reason. That does not protect us.”
The source explained that Violet is tired of the constant questions about why she wears a face mask outside.
“Violet has to constantly defend her mask-wearing, and in doing so, she has to constantly discuss her personal health issues,” the source explained. “She gets called a hypochondriac, paranoid, and other names simply for protecting her health, and it has really bothered her for years.”
“There were also ridiculous rumors that she covered her face to avoid having to talk to people who would easily recognize her, given that she looks a lot like her famous mother.
“By speaking out, it gave her the opportunity to stand up for something she believes in and, at the same time, to silence everyone’s chatter.”
A second source close to the situation explained how Ben and Jennifer have worked hard as co-parents to raise their children to fight for what they believe is right.
“Ben and Jen are spectacular parents and have taught their kids to stand up for what they believe in,” the source began.
“Violet has been advocating for mandatory mask wearing for so long that all they wanted her to do was study everything around it, learn from it so that when she speaks out, she is well-informed so that others can benefit from her education on the subject.”
The source also revealed that her parents were thrilled to see their growing daughter be so willing to use her voice to fight for others, as they said, “They’re proud of her for taking this stand because it means a lot to her. Violet is all about doing good and using her voice as a beacon for change. Ben and Jen think it’s amazing.”
“They still can’t believe she’s 18, but the woman she has become and is becoming is something they’re extremely proud of and they hope she continues to speak out about things that are important to her in the future.”
Unsurprisingly, Violet’s unexpected speech was met with both praise and criticism, with some calling her “brave” while others called her “completely crazy.”
His call comes just weeks after it emerged that Dr. Anthony Fauci admitted that the restrictions he put in place during the lockdown had done little to “slow the spread” of Covid, and as lawmakers signal an openness to reinstating mask bans amid increasing clashes at protests.
Violet argued that anti-mask measures make “vulnerable members of our community less safe” and “make everyone less able to participate together in Los Angeles.”
She also said she “saw firsthand” that medicine doesn’t always have answers to “the consequences of even minor viruses” when she went through her own health scare in 2019.
Violet’s mask-wearing has become a hot topic of conversation online, without Violet or her parents speaking about it publicly.
She was notably seen wearing a mask at Michael Rubin’s White Party in 2023 and more recently at a Broadway show with Ben and his mother-in-law Jennifer Lopez.
She appeared to nod to her condition in May 2024 when she was photographed wearing a mask and carrying Steven Thrasher’s award-winning 2022 book, The Viral Underclass, while spending time with her mother.
Violet’s siblings, Fin (formerly Seraphina), 15, and Samuel, 12, were not photographed wearing masks.
The teens’ parents, who met on the set of Pearl Harbor, married in June 2005, just six months before Violet was born.
They announced their separation in 2015 after nearly 10 years of marriage and officially filed for divorce in 2017.
Jennifer has since moved on with businessman John Miller, while Ben rekindled his romance with Lopez in April 2021.
The two tied the knot in Vegas in July 2022, followed by a lavish ceremony in Georgia the following month.
But their marriage has been marred by allegations of separation for two months, with the stars no longer living together.
Lopez resides in their $60 million mansion in Bel Air, California, while Ben stays in his $100,000-a-month rental near his ex-wife Jennifer.
The Argo star has been pictured spending quality time with his children in recent weeks, with Violet wearing a mask during outings where she has joined her dad.
Last month, sources told DailyMail.com that Jennifer had made a conscious decision to remove herself from the “circus” surrounding her ex-husband’s marriage to Lopez after it brought up “painful” divorce memories for the actress.
Insiders previously revealed how the Elektra star acted as an “advisor” to the embattled couple as she desperately tried to help them resolve their alleged issues.