Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently expressed his beliefs about gender-affirming care during an interview with psychologist Jordan Peterson. He claimed that his estranged transgender daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, was “killed” by the treatment she received, leading him to declare a commitment to challenge what he termed the “woke mind virus.”
During the interview, Musk criticized gender-reassignment surgery, describing it as “child mutilation and sterilization.” He revealed that Wilson came out as transgender at the age of 16 and received gender-affirming care amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Musk mentioned feeling misled when he consented to treatments for his daughter, stating he believed the intervention was necessary to prevent suicidal thoughts.
Musk condemned the practice of administering such treatments to minors, asserting that it is “incredibly evil.” He claimed that he was not informed that puberty blockers are actually sterilization drugs, a claim that lacks support since these blockers do not inherently affect fertility.
“I was tricked into doing this,” Musk lamented, referring to his perception of losing his son. He associated the term “deadnaming” with the loss of his relationship with Wilson, who no longer identifies with his last name.
These comments came shortly before Musk announced plans for his companies, including X and SpaceX, to relocate to Texas, largely due to California legislation that impacts parental notification regarding transgender identification among schoolchildren. Musk has often faced accusations of promoting anti-trans rhetoric.
In 2022, Wilson sought a name change and a new birth certificate, expressing in court that she wishes to sever ties with her biological father. Musk has attributed their strained relationship to the influence of progressive education in Los Angeles, as noted in Walter Isaacson’s biography of him. This estrangement is viewed as a factor influencing Musk’s increasingly right-leaning stance on various social and political issues.
In recent years, Musk has shifted away from his previous center-left positions, increasingly adopting right-wing perspectives, including support for the Republican Party’s presidential candidates that align with the oil industry and oppose clean energy initiatives.