Elon Musk’s Daughter Recounts Parental Reactions to Coming Out as Transgender
Vivian Wilson, the daughter of Elon Musk and Justine Wilson, shared her experience of coming out as transgender to her parents. In an interview with Teen Vogue, Vivian, 20, revealed that her mom, Justine, was more supportive of her transition compared to her father, Elon Musk. Justine, a published writer, showed immediate acceptance and understanding, while Elon, who had not been in regular contact with Vivian, required parental consent for medical treatments.
Vivian disclosed her transgender identity through an Instagram post, acknowledging her pronouns and sharing a personal anecdote related to the Hunger Games series. Reflecting on her journey, Vivian described a pivotal moment late one night when she decided to embrace her true self, recognizing the toll that hiding her identity was taking on her mental health.
In hindsight, Vivian expressed a wish to involve her mom more in the coming out process, emphasizing the importance of family support. Despite the challenges she faced, Vivian remains committed to living authentically and is grateful for the opportunity to share her story.
Her relationship with her mother is positive, as she has been supportive of her college choices and decisions to be public. Regarding her father, Vivian and the SpaceX founder are currently estranged. Musk previously claimed he was “tricked” into allowing Vivian to undergo transgender-related medical treatment at 16, a statement Vivian denies. She legally changed her name and gender at age 18 in 2022. Vivian described her childhood as one where her father, who has 13 other children with four different women, was only present about 10% of the time. A representative for Musk did not respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
