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Elon Musk announced he is moving his SpaceX headquarters out of California after the state’s governor signed a bill prohibiting school districts from disclosing students’ gender identity.
California Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday enacted the law, dubbed the SAFETY Act. It serves as a rebuke to parts of the state in which schools are required to inform parents of any changes to their child’s gender identity, like going by a different name or different pronouns.
In response to the new law, the Tesla CEO wrote on X on Tuesday: “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.”
“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,” he continued.
His social media platform will move to Austin, Texas, the X owner added.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who has has passed legislation restricting gender-affirming therapies for minors in his state, praised the move, posting on X: “This cements Texas as the leader in space exploration.”
The SpaceX founder’s decision arrives days after he endorsed Donald Trump in the wake of the assassination attempt against the former president.
During his presidency, Trump rolled back a host of LGBTQ+ protections and throughout his 2024 bid, he has touted anti-trans rhetoric on the campaign trail — even vowing to “revoke every Biden policy promoting the disfigurement of our youth” and to rescind Biden’s policy that expanded Title IX protections to LGBTQ+ students “on day one” of a second Trump term.
On X, Musk has voiced criticism of pronouns and announced last month that he “will be actively lobbying to criminalize” aspects of gender-affirming care for transgender minors.
His comments have isolated his own daughter, who is transgender and requested a name change in a court filing, writing: “I no longer live with or wish to be related to my biological father in any way, shape or form.”
Despite Musk’s remarks, the California law was designed to protect children, the bill’s author and Assemblymember Chris Ward said: “While some school districts have adopted policies to forcibly out students, the SAFETY Act ensures that discussions about gender identity remain a private matter within the family.”
Ward added: “As a parent, I urge all parents to talk to their children, listen to them, and love them unconditionally for who they are.”
California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus Chair Susan Eggman applauded the bill, saying the law “reaffirms California’s position as a leader and safe haven for LGBTQ+ youth everywhere.”
Musk’s comments also arrive as anti-trans rhetoric and attacks against the trans community are on the rise.
FBI data from 2022 shows an uptick in anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes from 2021, revealing a nearly 14 percent increase in reports based on sexual orientation and a 33 percent increase in reported hate crimes based on gender identity.
The ACLU has tracked 537 bills that target LGBTQ+ rights in state legislatures. One in four transgender adults said they have been “physically attacked because of their gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation,” according to a 2023 KFF survey.
