Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently claimed that his estranged transgender daughter was metaphorically “killed” after she received gender-affirming care, fueling his pledge to combat what he calls the “woke mind virus.”
In a Monday interview with psychologist and conservative commentator Jordan Peterson, Musk described gender-reassignment surgery as “child mutilation and sterilization.” He noted that his daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, who came out as transgender at 16, underwent gender-affirming care during the pandemic.
Musk stated, “I was essentially tricked into signing documents for one of my older boys,” referring to Wilson, who no longer uses his surname. He expressed that the confusion during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic led to decisions he later regretted, influenced by fears about potential suicide risks regarding his child.
He criticized medical treatments for minors who are below the age of consent, aligning with Peterson’s views that such actions are “incredibly evil” and those advocating for them should face imprisonment. Musk, a father of 12, also claimed he was not informed that puberty blockers could lead to sterilization, though evidence shows that they do not inherently affect fertility.
“I was tricked into doing this,” he lamented. “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 remarks come shortly after Musk announced that companies under his leadership, including X and SpaceX, would relocate to Texas, in response to California’s AB1955 or the SAFETY Act. This legislation prohibits schools from mandating parental notification when a child identifies as transgender and calls for state resources to support LGBTQ+ youth. Musk has faced accusations of transphobia and promoting anti-trans rhetoric.
In 2022, his daughter sought a name change and a new birth certificate, expressing her desire to sever ties with her biological father. Musk attributed the strained relationship to her progressive education in Los Angeles, a theme explored in Walter Isaacson’s biography of the entrepreneur. This estrangement has been linked to Musk’s increasingly vocal “anti-woke” perspectives.
Over recent years, Musk has shifted from his previously center-left political stance towards adopting right-wing viewpoints on numerous issues, including diversity initiatives, election integrity, and immigration. Recently, he endorsed the Republican presidential campaign of former President Donald Trump and Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, both known advocates for the fossil fuel industry and opponents of clean energy initiatives.