Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently made controversial remarks regarding his transgender daughter, claiming she was “killed” after undergoing gender-affirming care. This statement was made during an interview with conservative commentator Jordan Peterson, where Musk expressed his intent to “destroy the woke mind virus.”
Musk, who oversees multiple companies including X, characterized gender-reassignment surgery as “child mutilation and sterilization.” He stated that his daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, sought gender-affirming care during the pandemic and publicly identified as transgender at 16.
In his interview, Musk recounted feeling misled when he signed documents related to Wilson’s gender-affirming procedures. He mentioned the confusion during the COVID-19 pandemic and the concerns over his child’s mental health at the time. Musk noted that the treatment options were presented to him without a thorough explanation, including the assertion that puberty blockers were equivalent to sterilization drugs, despite the scientific consensus that puberty blockers do not directly affect fertility.
Musk lamented the loss of his son, frequently referring to the practice of “deadnaming,” which he believes underscores the emotional toll of these decisions. He stated, “I was tricked into doing this. I lost my son, essentially.”
His comments follow his announcement that X and SpaceX would relocate to Texas, in response to California’s AB1955 or the SAFETY Act, which prohibits schools from requiring parental notification if a child identifies as transgender. Musk has faced accusations of transphobia and anti-trans messaging in the past.
In 2022, Wilson petitioned for a name change and a new birth certificate, declaring a desire to sever ties with her biological father. Musk has attributed the estrangement to the influence of progressive schooling in Los Angeles. According to Walter Isaacson’s biography, this strained relationship with Wilson has fueled Musk’s “anti-woke sentiments.”
Over the past few years, Musk has shifted from center-left politics to adopting more right-wing viewpoints on issues such as diversity initiatives, election fraud, and immigration. He recently endorsed the Republican presidential candidates, including former president Donald Trump and Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, both of whom support the oil industry and oppose clean energy.