Tesla CEO Elon Musk expressed controversial views regarding his estranged transgender daughter during an interview with psychologist Jordan Peterson. Musk claimed that his daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, was “killed” following her decision to pursue gender-affirming care and stated his intention to “destroy the woke mind virus.”
Musk labeled gender-reassignment surgery as “child mutilation and sterilization” and recounted his experience of signing documents regarding his daughter’s gender transition when she was 16. He stated he felt misled at the time due to the pandemic’s chaos and concerns about her mental health.
In the interview, Musk criticized the administration of medical treatments to children who are not of consent age and described the practice as “incredibly evil,” suggesting that those who advocate for it should face imprisonment. Although Musk has expressed concerns about fertility and population decline, he claimed he was not informed that puberty blockers could be viewed as sterilization drugs, despite evidence indicating that they do not directly affect fertility.
Musk further asserted, “I lost my son, essentially,” highlighting the emotional toll of his daughter’s transition and the concept of “deadnaming,” which refers to using a transgender person’s birth name post-transition.
His remarks come shortly after he announced that his companies, including Tesla and SpaceX, would relocate to Texas, citing his opposition to California’s AB1955, a law that limits parental notification regarding a child’s transgender identity.
Musk’s complicated relationship with his daughter intensified when she sought a name change and a new birth certificate, explicitly stating that she wishes to sever ties with him. He has attributed their estrangement to the influence of her progressive school in Los Angeles, suggesting that it has fueled his sentiments against what he perceives as “woke” culture.
Over the past few years, Musk has shifted from his earlier centrist views to increasingly align with right-leaning perspectives on various societal issues, including diversity and immigration. Recently, he endorsed former President Donald Trump and Senator J.D. Vance for the Republican presidential ticket.