Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently made controversial remarks regarding his estranged transgender daughter, claiming she was “killed” after receiving gender-affirming care. This statement came as Musk declared his intent to “destroy the woke mind virus” during an interview with psychologist and conservative commentator Jordan Peterson.
Musk’s comments highlighted his perspectives on gender-reassignment surgery, which he labeled as “child mutilation and sterilization.” He discussed his daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, who came out as transgender at 16, and revealed that she received gender-affirming care during the pandemic. Musk expressed regret, stating he felt “tricked” into endorsing the medical steps taken for his child at a time when he claimed to lack understanding of the situation.
He argued that young children are subjected to such procedures without proper consent and echoed Peterson’s assertion that promoting these practices is “incredibly evil,” suggesting severe consequences for those who do. Musk also claimed he was misled about the nature of puberty blockers, stating they are effectively sterilization drugs—despite the fact that puberty blockers alone do not impact fertility.
Musk described the distress of losing his son, referring to the term “deadnaming,” which signifies the loss of one’s original identity. His remarks follow his announcement that Tesla and other companies he leads, including X and SpaceX, would relocate to Texas in response to California’s SAFETY Act, which restricts school policies on notifying parents about their children’s transgender identities.
In 2022, his daughter sought a name change and requested to no longer be connected to Musk, saying she wanted nothing to do with her biological father. Walter Isaacson’s biography reveals that Musk attributes the estrangement to the influence of Wilson’s progressive school in Los Angeles and suggests that this strained relationship has fueled his “anti-woke” sentiments.
Historically known for his moderate political views, Musk has increasingly leaned towards right-wing ideologies in recent years, focusing on topics such as diversity, election integrity, and immigration. Recently, he endorsed the Republican presidential campaign of former President Donald Trump and Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, both of whom oppose clean energy initiatives.