Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently expressed controversial views regarding his transgender daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, during an interview with psychologist Jordan Peterson. He claimed that her decision to receive gender-affirming care amounted to “killing” her and vowed to combat what he termed the “woke mind virus.”
Musk labeled gender-reassignment surgery as “child mutilation and sterilization” and stated that Wilson, who came out as transgender at 16, underwent care during the COVID-19 pandemic. He recounted his experience of being misled into signing documents related to her transition, suggesting that he was concerned about her mental health at the time.
During the conversation, Musk criticized the medical procedures available to children who are below the legal age of consent, aligning with Peterson’s viewpoint that these practices are “incredibly evil” and should result in imprisonment for advocates. Musk also expressed that he was not informed that puberty blockers, sometimes prescribed to transgender youth, could be considered sterilization drugs, although these blockers do not directly affect fertility.
Musk lamented his estrangement from his daughter, stating, “I was tricked into doing this. I lost my son, essentially,” referring to the concept of “deadnaming,” which denotes using a transgender person’s pre-transition name.
This interview follows Musk’s announcement that his companies, including Tesla and SpaceX, would relocate to Texas due to California legislation, AB1955, also known as the SAFETY Act. This law restricts schools from requiring parental notification of a student’s transgender identification and mandates resources for LGBTQ+ youth.
Wilson sought a name change and new birth certificate in 2022, indicating in court filings her desire to completely sever ties with her father. Musk has attributed his strained relationship with her to her progressive education in Los Angeles, suggesting that this dynamic fueled his current anti-woke sentiments.
In recent years, Musk’s political stance has shifted from center-left to embracing right-wing perspectives, as evidenced by his support for the Republican presidential ticket, including former President Donald Trump and Ohio Senator J.D. Vance.