Tesla CEO Elon Musk has made controversial remarks regarding his estranged transgender daughter, claiming she was “killed” after receiving gender-affirming care. During an interview with psychologist and conservative commentator Jordan Peterson, Musk stated his intention to “destroy the woke mind virus,” while criticizing gender-reassignment surgery as “child mutilation and sterilization.”
Musk shared that his daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, came out as transgender at 16 after receiving gender-affirming care during the pandemic. He expressed feeling misled into signing documents that allowed for this care, claiming he was informed that his child was at risk of suicide. “I was essentially tricked into signing documents for one of my older boys,” he stated, referring to Wilson, who has since distanced herself from him.
He criticized the treatment as being administered to children who are below the age of consent, echoing Peterson’s view that promoting such practices is “incredibly evil” and should lead to imprisonment. Musk, who has 12 children, asserted that he was not adequately informed that puberty blockers function as sterilization drugs, despite the fact that their effects on fertility are not straightforward.
Musk lamented, “I lost my son, essentially,” adding that the term ‘deadnaming’ reflects the profound loss he feels regarding his child’s transition. His comments follow a recent announcement that his companies, including Tesla and SpaceX, would relocate to Texas, influenced by California’s SAFETY Act, which prohibits schools from informing parents if their child identifies as transgender.
His daughter filed for a name change and a new birth certificate in 2022, expressing a desire to sever ties with her biological father. Musk has suggested that her progressive schooling in Los Angeles has contributed to their estranged relationship, which he believes fuels his anti-woke sentiments.
Over the past few years, Musk has shifted from center-left political views towards more conservative stances, recently endorsing the Republican party’s presidential candidates, including former President Donald Trump.