The national debate over transgender activism and what defines a woman had reached new lows in California.
California Governor Gavin Newsom recently bragged about passing the most trans laws in the country, and then he made headlines after his team mocked Tesla CEO Elon Musk for being estranged from his son, who identifies as a girl.
The spat began when Musk’s America PAC reposted a clip of Newsom on “The Ezra Klein Show” in which he says, “There’s no governor that’s done more pro-trans legislation than I have.”
Newsom’s press office responded to the post writing, “We’re sorry your daughter hates you, Elon.”
Musk did not take the dig lying down, but rather shot back by saying he loves his son, who now goes by the name Vivian Jenna Wilson.
I assume you’re referring to my son, Xavier, who has a tragic mental illness caused by the evil woke mind virus you push on vulnerable children. I love Xavier very much and hope he recovers.
My daughters are Azure, Exa (she goes by Y) and Arcadia, and they do indeed love me…
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 12, 2025
“I assume you’re referring to my son, Xavier, who has a tragic mental illness caused by the evil woke mind virus you push on vulnerable children,” Musk wrote on X.
“I love Xavier very much and hope he recovers,” he added. “My daughters are Azure, Exa (she goes by Y), and Arcadia, and they do indeed love me very much.”
Musk then pinned a post to his profile saying, “If you have a womb, you are a woman. Otherwise, you are not.”
If you have a womb, you are a woman.
Otherwise, you are not.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 13, 2025
According to the New York Post, Musk’s son filed a petition in California in 2022 to change his name and gender to one that reflects a female identity.
Wilson also dropped the last name of Musk and filed to drop any association with the SpaceX CEO, saying he “no longer lives with or wishes to be related to my biological father in any way, shape or form.”
Musk, who revealed last year he was “tricked” into allowing one of his children to begin transgender puberty blockers, has become vocally critical of the transgender agenda.
In a 2024 interview with Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson, Musk criticized his child’s transition, saying the “woke mind virus” had “killed” his estranged child. He also referred to the use of preferred pronouns as an “aesthetic nightmare.”
Elon Musk has vowed to destroy the Woke Mind Virus once and for all
“I lost my Son essentially, they call it dead naming for a reason, so my Son, Xavier is dead. Killed by the woke mind virus. I vowed to destroy the woke mind virus after that, and we are making some progress” pic.twitter.com/TU0RuCfYGM
— SMX (@iam_smx) December 12, 2025
“It happened to one of my older boys, where I was essentially tricked into signing documents for one of my older boys, Xavier. This is before I had any understanding of what was going on. COVID was going on, so there was a lot of confusion, and I was told Xavier might commit suicide if he doesn’t,” Musk shared.
He went on to explain the concept behind “deadnaming,” where a transgender person no longer goes by their name given to them at birth.
“I lost my son, essentially. They call it deadnaming for a reason,” Musk said. “The reason it’s called ‘deadnaming’ is because your son is dead. So, my son Xavier is dead, killed by the woke mind virus.”
Musk told Peterson he “vowed to destroy the woke mind virus.”
Since then, the X owner has used the platform to call out transgender activism.
As CBN News recently reported, Musk called out Netflix for children’s programs that promote transgender ideology through different shows on its platform.
Meanwhile, California is forcing teachers and students across the state to affirm transgender ideology or lose access to their jobs or education.
According to the California Family Council, California universities are forcing college students to complete an online sexual harassment and anti-discrimination test that requires them to answer questions in a pseudo “gender ideological conformity test.”
The University of California system’s version of the program, called SHAPE – short for Sexual Harassment, Anti-Discrimination, Prevention, and Education – requires students to answer questions based on a broader definition of harassment, which includes a hostile environment. Under the program, those who do not use transgender pronouns and accept biological males in women’s restrooms are accused of harassment and creating a hostile environment.
In one example, students are required to answer the following question correctly to pass their training:
“My name is Mona, and I am transgender. My classmate Jane continues to call me James, which was my name before I transitioned. Jane refers to me as a man and complains when I use the women’s restroom. I’ve asked her to stop, but she does not. I feel very disrespected and want this to stop. What type of prohibited conduct can this be?”
The only “correct” answer is “hostile environment,” explains the CFC.
The program requires students to earn a 100% score on the final quiz to pass.
Additionally, a 2023 law has gone into effect that requires all 7th–12th-grade teachers and certificated school employees to undergo annual LGBTQ “cultural competency” training and testing.
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