Tesla CEO Elon Musk declared that his estranged transgender daughter was “killed” after receiving gender-affirming care, prompting him to promise to “destroy the woke mind virus.” Musk made these remarks during an interview with psychologist Jordan Peterson that aired recently. He labeled gender-reassignment surgery as “child mutilation and sterilization” and noted that his daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, came out as transgender at 16 and received gender-affirming care during the pandemic.
Musk expressed feelings of being misled when he signed documents concerning his daughter, stating that it was before he fully understood the context, particularly amid the confusion during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he was advised that Wilson might be at risk of suicide. He criticized the process of providing such medical interventions to minors, asserting that it is “incredibly evil” and suggested that advocates for it should face imprisonment.
He indicated that he wasn’t informed that puberty blockers act as sterilization drugs, although he acknowledged that these blockers do not impact fertility by themselves. Musk lamented, “I was tricked into doing this. I lost my son, essentially.” He emphasized the painful implications of the term “deadnaming,” signifying the perceived loss of his son.
These comments followed Musk’s announcement that X and SpaceX would relocate to Texas in response to California’s AB1955, known as the SAFETY Act, which prohibits schools from enforcing policies requiring parental notification if a child identifies as transgender. Musk has previously faced accusations of transphobia and anti-trans messaging.
In 2022, Wilson applied for a name change and new birth certificate, stating in court that she sought to sever ties with her father. Musk attributed their strained relationship to the influence of her progressive school, as noted in Walter Isaacson’s biography. The portrayal of his estrangement from Wilson has been suggested as a source of Musk’s “anti-woke sentiments.”
Over recent years, Musk has shifted from his previously center-left political stance, increasingly voicing support for right-wing positions on a variety of issues. In a recent development, he endorsed the Republican presidential ticket featuring former President Donald Trump and Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, both of whom advocate for fossil fuels and oppose clean energy initiatives.