Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently expressed strong views about his estranged transgender daughter during an interview with psychologist and conservative commentator Jordan Peterson. He claimed that his daughter was “killed” following her gender-affirming care, stating his intent to combat what he calls the “woke mind virus.”
Musk labeled gender-reassignment surgery as “child mutilation and sterilization,” discussing his daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, who publicly identified as transgender at age 16 and received gender-affirming care during the pandemic. He expressed regret about being misled into signing documents regarding her treatment, mentioning concerns about her mental health at the time.
He criticized the practice of providing medical interventions to minors, asserting it is “incredibly evil” and that those who advocate for such treatment should face imprisonment. Musk, a father of 12, shared that he was never informed that puberty blockers could lead to sterilization, although he noted that they do not directly affect fertility.
Musk lamented losing his son and referenced the concept of “deadnaming,” expressing pain over the implications of his daughter’s name change, which she pursued to distance herself from him. His comments come shortly after his plans for Tesla and his other ventures to relocate to Texas, citing California regulations that protect transgender minors.
As Musk’s relationship with his daughter deteriorated, he blamed liberal education systems for shaping her views, suggesting that this rift has fueled his recent anti-woke rhetoric. Once considered a centrist, Musk has increasingly adopted right-wing viewpoints on various social issues, recently endorsing figures aligned with the Republican Party.