Tesla CEO Elon Musk claimed his estranged transgender daughter was “killed” after receiving gender-affirming care, leading him to declare his intent to “destroy the woke mind virus.”
Musk shared these views during an interview with psychologist and conservative commentator Jordan Peterson, which aired recently. He described gender-reassignment surgery as “child mutilation and sterilization,” discussing his daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, who began identifying as transgender at 16 and received care during the pandemic.
Musk mentioned feeling misled when he signed documents regarding Wilson’s care, stating: “I was essentially tricked into signing documents for one of my older boys.” He expressed that at the time, under the stress of the COVID pandemic, he was told his child might be at risk of suicide.
He criticized the practice of providing gender-affirming care to minors, agreeing with Peterson that it is “incredibly evil” and suggested that advocates of such care should face imprisonment. Musk also claimed he was informed that puberty blockers were “actually just sterilization drugs,” although it is important to note that puberty blockers alone do not directly affect fertility.
“I was tricked into doing this,” Musk stated, lamenting the loss of his son to what he described as “deadnaming,” a term that refers to the use of a person’s birth name rather than their chosen name.
His remarks came shortly after Musk announced that his companies, including X and SpaceX, would be relocating to Texas, influenced by California’s recent legislation that restricts parental notification about transgender identification in schools. Musk has faced accusations in the past regarding transphobia and anti-trans messaging.
In 2022, Wilson applied for a name change and a new birth certificate, expressing her desire to no longer be associated with Musk. According to Walter Isaacson’s biography, Musk attributed his fractured relationship with Wilson to her progressive educational environment, suggesting it was a factor behind his “anti-woke sentiments.”
Over recent years, Musk has shifted from center-left politics to more right-wing stances, including discussions on diversity, election fraud, and immigration, and has endorsed the Republican presidential candidates, including former President Donald Trump.