Tesla CEO Elon Musk made controversial remarks regarding his transgender daughter during a recent interview with psychologist and conservative commentator Jordan Peterson. Musk claimed that his daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, was “killed” after receiving gender-affirming care, leading him to express a desire to combat what he termed the “woke mind virus.”
During the broadcast, Musk criticized gender-reassignment surgery, referring to it as “child mutilation and sterilization.” He revealed that his daughter came out as transgender at the age of 16 after receiving gender-affirming care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Musk claimed he felt “tricked” into consenting to medical procedures for her, justifying his feelings by noting he was misled about the seriousness of the situation and believed his child might attempt suicide.
Musk stated he believed such procedures should not be performed on minors who are below the age of consent and echoed Peterson’s sentiment that promoting such practices is “incredibly evil.” He also claimed that he was not adequately informed that puberty blockers effectively act as sterilization drugs.
Musk lamented the estrangement from his daughter, stating, “I lost my son, essentially,” and referred to the concept of “deadnaming,” expressing grief over the change in his child’s identity.
His comments come following his announcement that Tesla, X, and SpaceX would relocate to Texas, partly due to California’s AB1955 legislation, which impacts how schools handle trans identification. Musk has faced accusations of transphobia and has been criticized for advancing anti-trans messaging.
In legal documents from 2022, Wilson expressed a desire to change her name and birth certificate, stating she no longer wanted any relationship with her biological father. Reports indicate that Musk attributes their fractured relationship to the influence of her progressive school in Los Angeles.
In recent years, Musk has shifted from his previously center-left political stance to align more with right-wing viewpoints, endorsing Republican candidates and discussing topics such as diversity policies, election integrity, and energy policies.