Tesla CEO Elon Musk made headlines with his recent comments regarding his estranged transgender daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, whom he claimed was “killed” after undergoing gender-affirming care. During an interview with psychologist Jordan Peterson, Musk expressed his determination to “destroy the woke mind virus” and condemned gender-reassignment surgery as “child mutilation and sterilization.”
Musk recounted that his daughter, who came out as transgender at the age of 16, received gender-affirming care during the pandemic. He said he felt deceived into endorsing documents related to his daughter’s transition, emphasizing that the decision was made in a confusing environment exacerbated by COVID-19. He indicated that concerns about his child’s mental health were communicated to him at the time.
He criticized the medical procedures given to children, stating they are performed on individuals “far below the age of consent.” Musk echoed Peterson’s claims about the dangers of gender-affirming care, suggesting that those who promote it should face imprisonment. He claimed he was not adequately informed about the implications of puberty blockers, which are often mischaracterized.
Musk articulated a deep sense of loss regarding his daughter, expressing that the term “deadnaming” reflects the grief he feels over losing his son. His remarks came shortly after he announced that Tesla, X, and SpaceX would relocate to Texas due to the implications of California’s SAFETY Act, which limits how schools manage the identification of transgender students.
Wilson, who sought a name change in 2022, stated in court that she wishes to sever ties with her biological father. Musk has suggested that their strained relationship stems from her education at a progressive school in Los Angeles, linking it to his broader “anti-woke” views. In recent years, Musk’s political stance has shifted significantly to the right, as he has adopted positions that align more with conservative ideologies.