Elon Musk’s daughter’s strained relationship: Insights from forthcoming biography
In an excerpt from author Walter Isaacson’s highly anticipated biography of Elon Musk, due out on September 12, 2023, Musk talks about his strained relationship with his 19-year-old daughter. While the biography primarily delves into Musk’s rapid takeover of Platform X, formerly known as Twitter, it also sheds light on his personal life and family dynamics.
The passage reveals that Musk’s daughter, whose name was legally changed to Vivian Jenna Wilson in June 2020, previously sent a text message to Musk’s brother’s wife revealing her transgender identity and her new name, Jenna. She also added a heartfelt plea: “Don’t tell my dad.” This revelation highlights a significant chapter in her personal journey and exploration of identity.
A California judge allowed an 18-year-old girl to legally change her name to Vivian Jenna Wilson in June 2020. She decided at that time to adopt her mother’s maiden name Justine Musk. In addition, a judge determined she was a woman and ordered a new birth certificate be issued to reflect the changes, according to court records accessed by PEOPLE.
According to court records, she claimed the shift was due to “gender identity and the fact that I no longer live with my biological father or wish to be with him in any way, shape or form.”
According to a WSJ excerpt, the 52-year-old Musk claimed the woman “went beyond socialism and became a full-on communist and thought everyone rich was evil.”
As Isaacson said, “The rupture hurt him more than anything in his life since the death of his firstborn, Nevada,” referring to Musk’s daughter Justine, who tragically died at 10 weeks of sudden infant death syndrome.
According to the clip, Musk said he’s made numerous attempts to get in touch with his daughter, “but she doesn’t want to spend time with me.”
According to Isaacson, Musk believes that Jenna’s political beliefs originated at the liberal Los Angeles school she attended. The comments echoed those Musk made in an interview with the Financial Times the previous year.
The father of ten went on to say that even though their relationship has changed, he still has “a very good relationship with all the other [children]”. About a month after his daughter’s petition went viral on social media, on Father’s Day 2022, the millionaire said he “adores all my children so much”.
Musk has been open about his views on preferred pronouns for non-binary and transgender people on Twitter. The SpaceX CEO responded to criticism over a since-deleted tweet that poked fun at the use of preferred pronouns, saying that while he “absolutely” supports transgender people, he thinks “all these pronouns are an aesthetic nightmare.”
Musk also stated in May 2022 that he would support future Republican candidates, notably Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who signed the controversial “Parental Rights in Education” bill, also known as the “Don’t Say Gay” Act. It was a month after his daughter’s court motion.
Pre-orders for Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson, published by Simon & Schuster, are now being accepted.
As Walter Isaacson’s biography promises to provide a comprehensive insight into Elon Musk’s life, both personal and professional, it is clear that his relationship with his daughter is a multifaceted aspect of his life. The upcoming release of the biography is likely to provide more insight into their story and the challenges they face in overcoming their differences.