Elon Musk, the maverick CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has never shied away from controversy. This time, his ire is directed at what he describes as the “incredibly evil” culture that enabled his estranged transgender child, Vivian Jenna Wilson, born Xavier, to undergo gender reassignment. Musk believes this was driven by a “woke mind virus” that manipulated him into consenting to irreversible procedures.
In a candid interview with psychologist Dr. Jordan Peterson on the Daily Wire, the 53-year-old billionaire shared his painful experience. Musk revealed he was tricked into signing documents for his child, Xavier, now Vivian, during a confusing period exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. “I was essentially tricked into signing documents for one of my older boys, Xavier,” Musk recounted. “This is before I had any understanding of what was going on. COVID was going on, so there was a lot of confusion and I was told Xavier might commit suicide if he doesn’t…”
Peterson, known for his critical views on contemporary social issues, suggested that the suicide threat was likely fabricated. He noted the lack of clinical evidence supporting such claims. Musk didn’t mince words in his agreement, stating, “It’s incredibly evil, and I agree with you that the people that have been promoting this should go to prison.”
Musk described the puberty blockers administered to his child as “actually just sterilization drugs,” a fact he says was never made clear to him. “I was tricked into doing this,” Musk lamented. “I lost my son, essentially. They call it ‘deadnaming’ for a reason. The reason they call it ‘deadnaming’ is because your son is dead. My son, Xavier, is dead — killed by the woke mind virus.”
The tech magnate, whose net worth approaches $200 billion, is now on a mission to eradicate gender-reassignment procedures for minors. “I vowed to destroy the woke mind virus after that,” he declared. “And we’re making some progress.”
Vivian, one of six children Musk shares with his ex-wife Justine Wilson, made headlines in 2022 when she petitioned a California court to change her name and gender. The court filing also included a request to take her mother’s last name, distancing herself entirely from her famous father. She stated she “no longer lives with or wishes to be related to my biological father in any way, shape or form.”
Musk’s latest remarks come on the heels of his decision to relocate his SpaceX and X headquarters from California to Texas. This move was prompted by a new California law, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, that bans school districts from requiring parental notification if a child starts using different pronouns. Musk expressed his frustration on social media, posting on X, “This is the final straw. Because of this law and the many others that preceded it, attacking both families and companies, SpaceX will now move its HQ from Hawthorne, California to Starbase, Texas.”
Musk added, “I did make it clear to Governor Newsom about a year ago that laws of this nature would force families and companies to leave California to protect their children.”
As Musk continues to battle what he views as a corrosive cultural shift, his personal story underscores the deep divisions and intense emotions surrounding the issue of gender identity and parental rights. His stance is likely to resonate with many who share his conservative views on family and societal values.