Elon Musk alleges he was misled by what he terms the "woke mind virus" to consent to one of his son's gender transition.
Elon Musk's relationship with his 20-year-old daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, has been strained in the past. Their disagreements stemmed from differing political views, with Musk describing her as a "communist" who thinks "anyone rich is evil."
During the interview on the Daily Wire, Jordan Peterson expressed disagreement with Musk's statement on suicide risk. Peterson argued that underlying mental health issues like depression and anxiety play a significant role, while Elon Musk had initially raised concerns about gender dysphoria being a factor.
Elon Musk's Comments On His Child's Gender Identity
Musk strongly disapproved of his daughter's decision in a recently concluded interview. He described the situation's impact on their family as "evil." The billionaire said, "I was essentially tricked into signing documents for one of my older boys, Xavier," he said, using Wilson's former name.
Musk says he signed the documents for his son, Vivian (formerly Xavier), to begin puberty blockers during a very confusing time in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The billionaire alleges he was pressured and misled into consenting due to concerns about his son's well-being and potential suicidal thoughts.
Elon Musk has fathered 12 children over the past two decades with three partners: Canadian author Justine Wilson, musician Grimes, and his employee, Shivon Zilis. His youngest child, with Zilis, was born in 2024. Musk has publicly expressed concerns about the decline of the global population.
When asked about gender dysphoria, the Tesla CEO said: "It's incredibly evil, and I agree with you that the people that are promoting this should go to prison."
A 2023 study by The Trevor Project found that nearly half (46 percent) of transgender and nonbinary youth in the US seriously considered suicide. This statistic underscores the challenges faced by this community.
The study also found that only 13 percent of transgender and nonbinary youth reported taking gender-affirming hormones and just 2 percent reported taking puberty blockers in 2023. Musk has expressed regret over allowing a child to begin puberty blockers, alleging he was pressured into the decision.
"I was tricked into doing this. It wasn't explained to me that puberty blockers are actually just sterilisation drugs. I lost my son, essentially. They call it 'deadnaming' for a reason. The reason they call it 'deadnaming' is because your son is dead, so my son, Xavier, is dead, killed by the woke mind virus."
Deadnaming is the act of referring to a transgender person by their birth name, the name they used before transitioning.
In 2022, Musk's child, who identifies as female, legally changed her name to Vivian Jenna Wilson. Court documents indicate a strained relationship, with Vivian stating she "no longer wishes to be related" to Musk "in any way."
According to a recent excerpt from an upcoming biography, this rift has reportedly caused Musk more pain than anything else in his life besides the death of his firstborn child, Nevada. Further complicating the situation, Musk's past tweets in 2020 expressed support for transgender individuals but criticised the use of pronouns.
So, who is Vivian Jenna Wilson? Let's examine her life more closely to understand her identity and why her relationship with her father is strained.
Meet Elon Musk's Transgender Daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson
Born in California in 2004, Vivian (formerly Xavier) is a twin alongside her brother Griffin. They are three years older than their younger siblings, Kai, Saxon, and Damian.
Musk's children attended the prestigious Crossroads K-12 school in Santa Monica, California. Known for its expensive tuition, which reaches $50,000 annually, Crossroads offers a high-caliber education.
Despite this investment in his children's education, reports indicate a strained relationship between Musk and Vivian. Text messages reportedly revealed attempts to conceal her gender identity for several years.
The reported tension extends beyond their private life. The 53-year-old business magnate has also been critical of his child's political views in public, stating that she believes wealth inherently signifies evil.
Vivian officially adopted her mother, Justine's, maiden name and changed her legal gender in 2022 at the age of 18, according to court filings. The filings also indicated estrangement from her father.
On Father's Day, Musk tweeted that he loved all his children dearly. This came before news emerged about a recent legal filing by Vivian, who prefers to remain private. After the court case concluded, she wasn't seen in public for several months. She was later seen on a brief shopping trip in Santa Monica, dressed casually.
Elon Musk's Relationship With Vivian Jenna Wilson
Musk's relationship with his daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, has strained recently. Public comments by both suggest a disagreement over political views and gender identity.
She came out to her aunt as transgender over text at 16. She asked her aunt to keep it a secret from her father, writing: "Hey, I'm transgender, and my name is now Jenna. Don't tell my dad."
In a 2020 interview with the Financial Times, Elon Musk acknowledged a potential rift with his daughter, stating that while his relationship with his daughter "may change... I have very good relationships with all the others [children]." He added, "Can't win them all."
Musk recently told his biographer that his efforts to mend fences with his daughter haven't been successful. "I've made many overtures, but she doesn't want to spend time with me," he said.
