Tesla CEO Elon Musk claimed that his estranged transgender daughter has been “killed” following her receipt of gender-affirming care, leading him to pledge to “destroy the woke mind virus.”
During an interview aired on Monday with psychologist and conservative commentator Jordan Peterson, Musk described gender-reassignment surgery as “child mutilation and sterilization.” He indicated that his daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, came out as transgender at 16 and 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 has chosen not to use his surname. He explained that he was misled at the time, particularly during the COVID pandemic, when there was considerable confusion, and that he had been informed his child was at risk of suicide.
He criticized the practices involving children who are under the age of consent, expressing agreement with Peterson that such actions are “incredibly evil,” and suggested that advocates for these practices should face imprisonment. Musk, who has 12 children, asserted that he was never informed that puberty blockers are effectively sterilization drugs, although it is noted that puberty blockers by themselves do not impact fertility.
Musk expressed his feelings of loss regarding his son, stating, “I was tricked into doing this. 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 come soon after he revealed that X and SpaceX would be relocating to Texas, joining Tesla, in response to California’s AB1955, known as the SAFETY Act. This law prohibits schools from mandating parental notification if a child identifies as transgender and requires the State Department to offer resources to support LGBTQ+ identifying youth. Musk has faced accusations of transphobia and promoting anti-trans rhetoric in the past.
In 2022, Wilson sought a name change and a new birth certificate, declaring in court documents that she wished to sever all ties with her biological father. Musk has attributed his strained relationship with his daughter to her progressive education in Los Angeles, a narrative documented in Walter Isaacson’s biography of him, which also suggests that this estrangement has fueled Musk’s “anti-woke sentiments.”
Over recent years, Musk, who was once considered center-left in his political views, has increasingly embraced right-wing narratives on issues including diversity efforts, election fraud, and immigration. Earlier this month, he showed support for the Republican presidential ticket featuring former president Donald Trump and Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, both of whom advocate for the oil industry and are against clean energy initiatives.