Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently claimed that he feels his transgender daughter has been “killed” due to the gender-affirming care she received, prompting him to express his determination to “destroy the woke mind virus.”
Musk made these statements during an interview with psychologist and conservative commentator Jordan Peterson, which aired on Monday. He criticized gender-reassignment surgery, labeling it as “child mutilation and sterilization.” Musk’s daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, disclosed her transgender identity at the age of 16, during which she received gender-affirming treatment amid the pandemic.
Musk mentioned that he felt misled into signing documents concerning his daughter. He stated, “This was really before I had any understanding of what was going on,” noting the confusion surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and citing concerns that Wilson might contemplate suicide.
He condemned the practice of providing gender-affirming care to minors, asserting that it is “incredibly evil,” and echoed Peterson’s sentiments that those advocating for it should face imprisonment. Musk, who is a father of 12, also remarked that he was never informed that puberty blockers could be considered sterilization drugs, despite the fact that puberty blockers alone do not affect fertility.
“I was tricked into doing this,” he stated, adding, “I lost my son, essentially.” He elaborated on the term “deadnaming,” indicating that it signifies the death of his relationship with his son.
These remarks came shortly after Musk announced that his companies, X and SpaceX, would relocate to Texas due to California’s AB1955, also known as the SAFETY Act. This law prohibits schools from mandating parental notification if a child identifies as transgender and requires state support for LGBTQ+ youth. Musk has faced numerous accusations of promoting transphobic rhetoric over the years.
In 2022, Musk’s daughter sought a name change and a new birth certificate, expressing her desire to completely dissociate from her biological father. According to biographer Walter Isaacson, Musk attributes the breakdown of his relationship with Wilson to her progressive education in Los Angeles, which he believes has influenced his increasingly vocal “anti-woke” stance.
Over recent years, Musk, who was once associated with center-left politics, has shifted towards more right-wing viewpoints, particularly regarding issues such as diversity, election fraud, and immigration. Recently, he expressed support for the Republican party’s presidential candidates, including former President Donald Trump and Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, both known for their stances against clean energy initiatives.