Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently expressed controversial views regarding his estranged transgender daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, during an interview with psychologist Jordan Peterson. Musk claimed that his daughter was “killed” after undergoing gender-affirming care and vowed to “destroy the woke mind virus,” referencing his concerns about gender-reassignment surgery, which he described as “child mutilation and sterilization.”
During the interview, Musk recounted that Wilson, who came out as trans at the age of 16, received gender-affirming care during the pandemic. He stated that he felt misled when he consented to the process, explaining that he was concerned for her mental health amidst the chaos of COVID-19. Musk mentioned that at the time, he was warned that Wilson might be at risk of suicide.
Musk criticized the practice of providing medical care to minors, asserting that it is morally wrong. He claimed that he was not informed that puberty blockers could lead to sterilization and noted that he feels as though he has lost his son due to the changes his daughter chose to make. He characterized the term “deadnaming”—referring to the use of a transgender person’s birth name—as indicative of a loss, stating, “the reason they call it ‘deadnaming’ is because your son is dead.”
His comments come after he announced plans for Tesla and his other companies, including SpaceX, to relocate to Texas. This move is seen as a reaction to California’s recent legislation, which restricts schools from informing parents if their children identify as transgender and mandates resources for LGBTQ+ youth. Critics have accused Musk, who has a history of progressive stances, of promoting anti-trans rhetoric.
In 2022, Wilson filed for a name change, distancing herself from Musk, whom she indicated she no longer wished to be associated with. Musk has attributed their strained relationship to the influences of her progressive schooling in Los Angeles. According to biographer Walter Isaacson, Musk’s fraught relationship with his daughter has fueled his recent shift towards right-leaning political views, which include opposition to diversity initiatives and electoral matters. This month, Musk publicly endorsed the Republican presidential candidates, former President Donald Trump and Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, both of whom support traditional energy policies over clean energy initiatives.