Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently expressed his distress regarding the gender-affirming care his transgender daughter received, stating he feels she was “killed” by the process. During an interview with psychologist and conservative commentator Jordan Peterson, Musk vowed to combat what he termed the “woke mind virus.”
Musk characterized gender-reassignment surgery as “child mutilation and sterilization,” remarking that his daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, began her transition during the pandemic when she was 16. He recalled feeling misled into signing documents concerning her care, which he was told was necessary to prevent potential suicide. Musk noted that he was unaware of the implications of puberty blockers, which he claimed were not properly explained to him.
The tech mogul criticized the practice of providing gender-affirming care to minors, stating it was done to children who are not of legal consent age and echoed Peterson’s sentiments that promoting such interventions should be punishable by imprisonment. Musk lamented losing his son, asserting that the term “deadnaming” reflects his emotional view on the matter.
Musk’s comments follow his announcement that X and SpaceX, alongside Tesla, will relocate to Texas in response to California’s AB1955, the SAFETY Act. This legislation limits parental notification regarding a child’s transgender identity and aims to provide resources for LGBTQ+ youth. Musk has faced accusations of transphobia in the past.
In 2022, Wilson applied for a name change and a new birth certificate, stating in court documents her desire to disassociate from Musk entirely. According to Walter Isaacson’s biography of Musk, the strained relationship with his daughter has influenced his anti-woke rhetoric.
Once recognized for his more centrist views, Musk has shifted towards right-wing ideologies in recent years, aligning himself with conservative perspectives on various issues such as diversity, election fraud, and immigration. He has recently endorsed the Republican presidential ticket led by former President Donald Trump and Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, notable figures in the oil industry and opponents of clean energy initiatives.