Recently, Elon Musk’s transgender daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, has applied to have her name and gender legally changed. She has done so because she no longer wants to “be related to my biological father in any way, shape or form.”
The petition for this name change and a new birth certificate has been filed with the Los Angeles County Superior Court in Santa Monica. The request was set out in court documents filed this past April; however, the public has only discovered this knowledge until recently. There were not many details about Elon Musk’s daughter’s rift with him, but we can conclude past tweets and opinions.Â
For example, he has been vocal about various transgender issues and even known to be anti-LGBTQ+. He made gripes about people using their pronouns last year.
What is Musk’s Anti-LGBTQ+ History?
Musk’s politics have also been known to be Republican, and he has shown support for Ron DeSantis, the Republican Florida governor. They introduced the outdated and problematic “Don’t Say Gay” bill. This controversial legislation prohibits schools from teaching students about LGBTQ+ issues like sexual orientation and gender. The law is strictly enforced, with teachers at risk of lawsuits if they fail to comply.
In 2020, Elon Musk also posted on Twitter, “Pronouns suck,” which he then deleted. He followed it: “I support trans, but all these pronouns are an aesthetic nightmare.”
Musk, in the past, has claimed to be pro-LGBTQ+; however, his actions do not mirror this sentiment. For one, his Twitter buyout bid shocked many users, and many LGBTQ+ people thought about leaving the platform because they didn’t know how he would handle online bullying and harassment. In addition, Tesla has been sued for accusations of racism and homophobia.
Most recently, Musk made a meme on Twitter that mocks the war on Ukraine, Black people, and trans people, intending to make a statement about the inherent absurdity of “diverse content.” Sadly, the meme has about 1.2 million likes.Â
Along with other problematic people, Musk interprets “free speech” as a way to say offensive and bigoted comments and spread misinformation without any consequences.Â
Since LGBTQ+ people can’t even effectively report abuse and harassment in Twitter’s current guidelines, many at the time were afraid that “free speech” under Elon Musk’s ownership would not allow queer and trans people to participate fully and be themselves.
Who is Vivian Jenna Wilson?Â
Vivian’s legal name change request and coming out as transgender opposes her father’s views on the LGBTQ+ community. As soon as she turned 18 – the age of consent in California – she filed to have her name and gender legally changed. In addition to changing her name, she chooses her mother, Justine’s maiden name.
During the petition, she said she wanted to drop her dad’s family name because she wanted nothing to do with him. She said, “I no longer live with or wish to be related to my biological father in any way, shape, or form.”
Musk was previously married to Canadian author Justine from 2000 to 2008. Sadly, they lost one son, Nevada Alexander Musk, as an infant. In 2004, they welcomed twins: Vivian and her brother Griffin Musk.
In 2006, they had triplets named Damian, Saxon, and Kai. Soon after, Musk and Justine divorced, and he got engaged to British actress Talulah Riley.
In an article for Marie Claire in 2010, Justine said, “I was a starter wife” and how their marriage was unhealthy, and Musk had made fun of her and referred to himself “as the alpha in this relationship.”Â
When it comes to her daughter’s coming out process, Justine is in full sport. She wrote,”‘I had a weird childhood,’ my 18-year-old said to me. ‘I can’t believe I’m as normal-seeming as I am.’ I said, ‘I’m very proud of you’… ‘I’m proud of myself!'”
What Has Elon Musk Said About His Daughter Coming Out and Changing Her Name?
Elon Musk hasn’t commented on his daughter coming out and changing her name and wanting to distance herself from him.Â
On Father’s Day, he tweeted about his children, saying that he loves all of them, even though this contrasts with everything his daughter has said.Â