Tesla CEO Elon Musk has sparked controversy by asserting that his estranged transgender daughter was “killed” after receiving gender-affirming care. In an interview with psychologist and conservative commentator Jordan Peterson, Musk vowed to “destroy the woke mind virus” and criticized gender-reassignment surgery, referring to it as “child mutilation and sterilization.”
Musk’s daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, came out as transgender at 16 and received gender-affirming care during the pandemic. He expressed regret over having signed documents related to her transition without fully understanding the implications, citing concerns for her well-being at the time. Musk suggested that the nature of the procedures is harmful to children who are not yet of legal consent age and echoed Peterson’s sentiment that promoting such actions should be illegal.
In his statements, Musk claimed that he was misled about the effects of puberty blockers, which he mistakenly described as sterilization drugs. He lamented the loss of his son, associating the term “deadnaming” with a sense of loss regarding his relationship with Wilson.
These comments come shortly after Musk announced that his companies, including Tesla, would be relocating to Texas in response to California legislation known as AB1955, which aims to support transgender students and restricts parental notifications in schools. Musk has faced accusations of transphobia in the past and has attributed his familial rift to the influence of his daughter’s progressive school.
Since 2022, Wilson has sought to legally change her name and birth certificate, expressing a desire to sever ties with her biological father. Musk’s estrangement from Wilson has been suggested as a motivating factor behind his increasing right-wing rhetoric, as he shifts from previously centrist views to adopting conservative positions on various political topics. Recently, Musk publicly endorsed the Republican presidential ticket, aligning himself with figures who oppose clean energy initiatives.