Tesla CEO Elon Musk has made controversial remarks regarding his transgender daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, who he claims was “killed” after receiving gender-affirming care. During an interview with psychologist and conservative commentator Jordan Peterson, Musk criticized gender-reassignment surgery, referring to it as “child mutilation and sterilization.” He stated that Wilson came out as transgender at the age of 16 while receiving gender-affirming care during the pandemic.
Musk expressed feelings of being misled, saying he was tricked into signing documents regarding his daughter’s transition, which he alleges occurred amidst confusion due to COVID-19. He indicated that he was warned his son might be at risk of suicide if he did not support the transition.
Musk condemned the practice of providing gender-affirming care to minors, asserting that it is detrimental and should be punishable by imprisonment. He also claimed that he was not adequately informed that puberty blockers are sterilization drugs, which has been disputed by medical professionals who argue that these medications, when used appropriately, do not in themselves lead to infertility.
In his emotional remarks, Musk lamented losing his son to what he described as “deadnaming,” a term used when someone refers to a trans person by their former name. His daughter legally changed her name and sought to sever ties with him, stating in court documents that she wishes to no longer be associated with her biological father.
Musk’s comments follow his announcement that certain companies he leads, including Tesla and SpaceX, will relocate to Texas due to legislative changes in California, specifically the SAFETY Act. This law prohibits schools from enforcing policies mandating parental notifications when children identify as transgender and encourages state resources for LGBTQ+ youth.
In the past few years, Musk, who used to hold center-left views, has increasingly adopted right-wing perspectives on various issues, including diversity initiatives, immigration, and election integrity. He recently endorsed the Republican presidential campaign of Donald Trump and Senator J.D. Vance.