Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently made controversial comments regarding his transgender daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, claiming she was “killed” after receiving gender-affirming care. In an interview with psychologist and conservative commentator Jordan Peterson, Musk expressed a desire to “destroy the woke mind virus,” describing gender-reassignment surgery as “child mutilation and sterilization.”
Musk mentioned that Wilson came out as transgender at 16 and received gender-affirming treatment during the pandemic. He stated that he felt misled into signing documents concerning his daughter, stating, “I was essentially tricked into signing documents for one of my older boys,” referring to his daughter who has since changed her last name. He claimed that during a tumultuous time with COVID-19, he was alarmed by concerns that his child might consider suicide.
Additionally, Musk condemned the procedures done on minors, calling them “incredibly evil” and suggested that anyone who supports them should face imprisonment. He disputed the information he received regarding puberty blockers, claiming they were not clearly explained to him as “actually just sterilization drugs,” despite puberty blockers not inherently affecting fertility.
He expressed a sense of loss regarding his child, stating, “I lost my son, essentially,” and criticized the concept of “deadnaming,” which he said denotes the death of one’s former identity.
Musk’s remarks come shortly after he announced that his companies, X and SpaceX, would relocate to Texas, citing California’s SAFETY Act, which restricts schools from notifying parents if their child identifies as transgender and mandates state resources to support LGBTQ+ children. He has faced accusations of transphobia and anti-trans messaging in the past.
In 2022, Wilson applied for a legal name change, stating she no longer wanted to be associated with her biological father. Musk attributed their estrangement to her progressive schooling in Los Angeles, a relationship he acknowledges is a contributing factor to his “anti-woke sentiments.”
In recent times, Musk has shifted from his previously moderate political views to align more with right-wing ideologies on various topics, including diversity and immigration, and recently endorsed former President Donald Trump and Ohio Senator J.D. Vance for the Republican presidential ticket.