Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently made headlines by expressing his distress over his estranged transgender daughter, claiming she was “killed” after undergoing gender-affirming care. This statement was made during an interview with psychologist and conservative commentator Jordan Peterson.
In the interview, Musk referred to gender-reassignment surgery as “child mutilation and sterilization” and revealed that his daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, who came out as transgender at 16, received gender-affirming care during the pandemic. He described feeling misled when he signed documents for Wilson, saying he wasn’t fully aware of the implications at the time and mentioned concerns about suicidal thoughts.
Musk criticized the practice of providing gender-affirming treatments to minors “who are far below the age of consent,” agreeing with Peterson about its moral implications. He claimed that he never understood that puberty blockers could be considered sterilization drugs, despite them not affecting fertility on their own.
“I was tricked into doing this,” Musk expressed, lamenting the loss of his son, as Wilson has chosen to not use his last name. He also addressed California’s AB1955, legislation aimed at supporting transgender youth and regulating parental notifications in schools, underlining his decision to relocate his companies to Texas in response.
Musk’s relationship with Wilson has been contentious; in 2022, she sought to legally change her name and sever ties with her father, stating she does not wish to be connected to him in any manner. His estrangement from her is suggested to fuel his vocal opposition to what he refers to as “woke” ideologies.
Over time, Musk has increasingly aligned himself with right-wing viewpoints, shifting away from his previously center-left stance, and recently endorsed the Republican presidential ticket led by former President Donald Trump.