Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk has made headlines following his controversial statements regarding his transgender daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson. In a recent interview with psychologist Jordan Peterson, Musk claimed his daughter was “killed” after she received gender-affirming care, leading him to assert a mission to “destroy the woke mind virus.”
Musk referred to gender-reassignment surgery as “child mutilation and sterilization,” sharing that his daughter came out as transgender at the age of 16 after receiving care during the pandemic. He suggested that he was misled into signing documents concerning her treatment, saying there was confusion during the COVID-19 crisis, and he was informed that his child might be at risk of suicide.
He expressed his belief that this type of medical intervention is performed on minors who are not of legal consent and concurred with Peterson’s view that supporting such actions is “incredibly evil” and should be punishable by imprisonment. Musk, who has 12 children, claimed he was not made aware that puberty blockers function as sterilization drugs, although it is noted that such blockers do not intrinsically affect fertility.
Musk lamented that he feels he has lost his son, stating, “The reason they call it ‘deadnaming’ is because your son is dead.” His remarks came shortly after his announcement that he would be relocating his companies X and SpaceX to Texas, citing issues with California’s AB1955, which restricts parental notification in schools when children identify as transgender and mandates state support for LGBTQ+ youth.
In 2022, Wilson sought a legal name change and indicated in court that she wished to sever ties with her biological father. Musk has attributed the estrangement to the influence of her progressive school in Los Angeles, as detailed in Walter Isaacson’s biography of him. The strained relationship has contributed to Musk’s outspoken “anti-woke” rhetoric.
In recent years, Musk, who previously held more centrist views, has increasingly adopted right-wing perspectives, voicing opinions on various issues like diversity, election integrity, and immigration. He recently endorsed the Republican presidential ticket featuring former president Donald Trump and Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, both of whom are supporters of the oil industry and opponents of clean energy initiatives.