Tesla CEO Elon Musk stated that his estranged transgender daughter was “killed” following her receiving gender-affirming care, prompting him to pursue the dismantling of what he termed the “woke mind virus.”
Musk made these remarks during an interview with psychologist and conservative figure Jordan Peterson, which aired on Monday. Leading various companies, including X, Musk referred to gender-reassignment surgery as “child mutilation and sterilization.” He revealed that his daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, underwent gender-affirming care amid the pandemic and publicly came out as transgender at the age of 16.
He expressed that he felt misled into signing consent documents for Wilson, who has since disassociated from his surname. He indicated that this occurred before he fully grasped the situation, and during a period when the COVID pandemic was causing considerable confusion, he was led to believe his child might be suicidal.
Musk criticized the practices associated with gender transition for minors, agreeing with Peterson’s assertion that it is “incredibly evil” and suggested that promoters of such care should face imprisonment. He, a father of 12, alleged that no one informed him that puberty blockers were effectively “sterilization drugs,” emphasizing that these treatments on their own do not compromise fertility.
“I was tricked into doing this,” he remarked. “I lost my son, essentially. They call it ‘deadnaming’ for a reason. The reason they call it ‘deadnaming’ is because your son is dead.”
These comments from Musk follow his recent decision to relocate X and SpaceX to Texas, joining Tesla in response to California’s AB1955, or the SAFETY Act. This legislation prohibits schools from imposing rules requiring parental notification when a child identifies as transgender and mandates the State Department to provide resources for LGBTQ+ children. Musk has faced accusations of promoting anti-trans sentiments in the past.
In 2022, Musk’s daughter requested a legal name change and a new birth certificate, stating in court filings that she no longer wishes to be associated with her biological father. Musk attributed their fractured relationship to his daughter’s progressive school in Los Angeles, according to Walter Isaacson’s biography. Isaacson noted that Musk’s strained relationship with Wilson contributes to his strong anti-woke stance.
Over the past few years, Musk, who once held moderate left-wing views, has increasingly adopted right-wing rhetoric on various issues, including diversity initiatives, election integrity, and immigration. Recently, he endorsed the Republican presidential candidacy of former President Donald Trump and Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio, both of whom support the oil industry and oppose clean energy initiatives.