Tesla CEO Elon Musk made headlines recently during an interview with psychologist and conservative commentator Jordan Peterson, where he made controversial remarks about his transgender daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson. Musk claimed that his daughter was “killed” after receiving gender-affirming care, stating that this led him to a commitment to “destroy the woke mind virus.”
During the interview, Musk described gender-reassignment surgery as “child mutilation and sterilization,” expressing that his daughter, who came out as transgender at the age of 16, had undergone gender-affirming care during the pandemic. He recounted feeling misled when he consented to documents regarding his daughter’s care, as he was concerned for her mental health amidst the confusion of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Musk expressed strong opposition to the practice of providing gender-affirming care to minors, claiming it is performed on individuals “far below the age of consent” and agreeing with Peterson that it is “incredibly evil.” He also insisted that he had not been informed that puberty blockers, which are often used in gender transition, were effectively sterilization drugs.
He lamented the loss of his son, highlighting the emotional impact of his daughter’s transition, and referred to the concept of “deadnaming,” emphasizing that it symbolizes a deep sense of loss for him. Musk’s comments come in the wake of a decision to relocate his companies, including SpaceX and Tesla, to Texas due to California’s legislation on LGBTQ+ rights, which outlines protections for transgender youth without requiring parental notification.
Musk’s relationship with his daughter has been strained; in 2022, she filed for a name change and requested to distance herself legally from him, stating that she no longer wished to be associated with him. His estranged relationship with her has been noted as a contributing factor to his evolving political stance, which has shifted from center-left views to more conservative perspectives. Recently, he endorsed the Republican presidential ticket of Donald Trump and J.D. Vance, reflecting a significant shift in his political affiliations.