Tesla CEO Elon Musk expressed his distress regarding his estranged transgender daughter’s gender-affirming care during an interview with psychologist and conservative commentator Jordan Peterson. Musk controversially labeled gender-reassignment surgery as “child mutilation and sterilization,” claiming that his daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, received such care during the pandemic when she was 16.
“I was essentially tricked into signing documents for one of my older boys,” Musk stated, referring to Wilson, who has since changed her last name. He noted that this occurred before he fully understood the situation, amidst the confusion brought on by COVID-19, during which he was told there were concerns about his child’s mental health.
He strongly criticized the process of providing gender-affirming care to minors, saying he agreed with Peterson that it is “incredibly evil” and that anyone advocating for it should be imprisoned. Musk further clarified that he was not made aware that puberty blockers, which are often prescribed in such cases, are effectively sterilization drugs. He expressed feelings of loss regarding his child, declaring, “I lost my son, essentially,” reflecting on the experience of “deadnaming” in the transgender community.
These comments come shortly after Musk announced that X and SpaceX would be relocating to Texas in opposition to California’s AB1955, known as the SAFETY Act. This legislation prevents schools from mandating parental notification if a child identifies as transgender and allocates state resources for LGBTQ+ youth support. Musk has faced accusations of transphobia and promoting anti-trans rhetoric in the past.
His daughter sought a name change in 2022 and requested a new birth certificate, stating in court documents her desire to no longer be associated with her biological father. According to biographer Walter Isaacson, Musk attributes the estrangement to the influence of Wilson’s progressive school in Los Angeles, linking it to his emerging “anti-woke sentiments.”
Musk, once seen as a center-left figure, has shifted toward right-wing ideologies, addressing issues such as diversity initiatives, election fraud, and immigration. Recently, he endorsed the Republican presidential ticket of former President Donald Trump and Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, both of whom are advocates for the oil industry and oppose clean energy initiatives.