Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently expressed his controversial views regarding gender-affirming care during an interview with psychologist and commentator Jordan Peterson. Musk described his estranged transgender daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, as having been “killed” by the care she received, leading him to advocate for an end to what he terms the “woke mind virus.”
During the interview, broadcast Monday, Musk labeled gender-reassignment surgery as “child mutilation and sterilization.” He claimed his daughter came out as transgender at the age of 16 after receiving gender-affirming care during the pandemic. Musk recounted feeling “tricked” into signing documents related to his daughter’s transition, citing the overwhelming confusion of the time, including concerns about her mental health.
Musk criticized the process of gender-affirming care for minors, asserting it is conducted on children well below the age of consent and claiming it to be “incredibly evil.” He stated that anyone promoting such measures should face imprisonment. He added that he was never informed that puberty blockers act as sterilization drugs, a claim contradicted by medical consensus that they do not directly affect fertility.
Musk lamented his estrangement from Wilson, who changed her name and birth certificate in 2022 to dissociate from him completely. He expressed that the term “deadnaming” reflects a profound loss, suggesting he has lost his son due to the transition.
These comments come amid Musk’s announcement that his companies, including X and SpaceX, will relocate to Texas, a move influenced by California’s AB1955 legislation, which restricts school policies regarding parental notification for transgender students. Musk has faced accusations of transphobia in the past, and according to biographer Walter Isaacson, his strained relationship with Wilson may inform his recent shift toward anti-woke sentiments.
Once recognized for his moderate political stance, Musk has increasingly adopted right-wing views on various issues, endorsing former President Donald Trump and Republican Senator J.D. Vance, both of whom have opposed clean energy initiatives.