Tesla CEO Elon Musk made controversial statements about his transgender daughter, claiming she was “killed” after receiving gender-affirming care, and he vowed to “destroy the woke mind virus.” These comments were made during an interview with psychologist and conservative commentator Jordan Peterson, which aired on Monday.
Musk described gender-reassignment surgery as “child mutilation and sterilization,” mentioning that his daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, underwent gender-affirming care during the pandemic and came out as transgender at 16. He expressed that he felt misled into signing documents regarding her care, highlighting the confusion surrounding the situation during COVID. Musk alleged that he was warned his child might commit suicide, which influenced his decision-making at the time.
He criticized the procedures performed on minors who are not of the age of consent, agreeing with Peterson that such actions are “incredibly evil” and calling for imprisonment for those who promote them. Musk, who has a total of 12 children, claimed he was not informed that puberty blockers are essentially sterilization drugs, though it is important to note that puberty blockers alone do not impact fertility.
Referring to his daughter’s transition, Musk lamented, “I was tricked into doing this. I lost my son, essentially.” He emphasized the significance of the term “deadnaming” in this context.
Musk’s remarks came shortly after he announced plans for X and SpaceX to relocate to Texas, citing California’s AB1955, a law that restricts parental notification concerning a child’s transgender identity in schools and mandates state support for LGBTQ+ children. He has faced accusations of transphobia and promoting anti-trans messages in the past.
In court documents from 2022, Musk’s daughter sought a name change and indicated she did not want to be related to her father “in any way, shape or form.” Musk has attributed the estrangement to her progressive educational environment, as noted in Walter Isaacson’s biography of him. The biography suggests that his strained relationship with Wilson has fueled Musk’s anti-woke narrative.
In recent years, Musk has shifted from his previous center-left views to align more with right-wing ideals, including skepticism regarding diversity initiatives and immigration policies. Earlier this month, he voiced support for the Republican presidential ticket of former President Donald Trump and Senator J.D. Vance, both of whom are advocates of the fossil fuel industry and oppose clean energy measures.