Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently expressed his deep concerns regarding gender-affirming care for transgender individuals, claiming his estranged transgender daughter was “killed” by such treatment. He declared his intention to “destroy the woke mind virus” during an interview with psychologist and conservative commentator Jordan Peterson.
Musk described gender-reassignment surgery as “child mutilation and sterilization,” stating that his daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, came out as trans at 16 and underwent gender-affirming care during the pandemic. He remarked that he felt misled into signing documents relating to his child’s transition, mentioning that there was significant confusion due to the ongoing COVID crisis and concern for his child’s mental health.
He emphasized that children well below the legal age of consent are subjected to these medical interventions and echoed Peterson’s belief that such practices are “incredibly evil,” suggesting that those advocating for them should face imprisonment. Musk, a father of 12, asserted that the implications of puberty blockers were never properly explained to him, claiming they are essentially “sterilization drugs,” although puberty blockers do not directly impact fertility.
Musk lamented the emotional toll of his daughter’s transition, saying, “I lost my son, essentially,” and highlighted the term “deadnaming,” indicating it symbolizes a loss to him. His remarks came shortly after he announced plans for X and SpaceX to relocate to Texas, partly due to California’s SAFETY Act, which restricts parental notifications regarding transgender identification in schools and mandates state resources for LGBTQ+ children.
In 2022, Musk’s daughter applied for a name change, seeking to dissociate herself completely from her biological father. Musk has attributed the rift to her progressive education in Los Angeles, as mentioned in Walter Isaacson’s biography. Isaacson suggested that Musk’s strained relationship with Wilson significantly influences his “anti-woke sentiments.”
Musk, who historically held center-left views, has increasingly adopted right-wing perspectives on various issues, including diversity, election controversies, and immigration. Recently, he endorsed the Republican presidential ticket featuring former President Donald Trump and Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, both of whom advocate for traditional energy policies over clean energy initiatives.