Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently made controversial statements about his estranged transgender daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, claiming that she was “killed” by gender-affirming care. During an interview with psychologist and conservative commentator Jordan Peterson, Musk expressed his commitment to combating what he terms the “woke mind virus,” and referred to gender-reassignment surgery as “child mutilation and sterilization.”
Musk revealed that his daughter came out as transgender at the age of 16 and received gender-affirming care during the pandemic. He expressed feelings of being misled in the process, stating he had been pressured to consent to medical treatment for Wilson. Musk noted, “I was essentially tricked into signing documents for one of my older boys,” referring to his daughter, who no longer uses his last name. He added that there was a lot of confusion due to the circumstances surrounding COVID-19, and he was cautioned that Wilson might be at risk of suicide.
He criticized the process of providing gender-affirming care to minors, saying, “It’s incredibly evil,” and suggested that those who support it should face imprisonment. Musk, who has 12 children, claimed that he was never informed that puberty blockers function as sterilization drugs, although it is known that puberty blockers do not directly affect fertility.
Musk’s remarks come shortly after he announced that his companies, including X and SpaceX, would relocate to Texas, citing opposition to California’s AB1955 SAFETY Act, which restricts how schools communicate with parents regarding transgender issues.
In 2022, Wilson sought a name change and new birth certificate, indicating that she wished to no longer be affiliated with Musk. Reports suggest that Musk attributes the estrangement from his daughter to her schooling in Los Angeles. Furthermore, Musk has shifted from his previously moderate political stance towards more right-wing ideologies, endorsing Republican candidates who oppose clean energy initiatives.