Elon Musk is once again facing backlash after sharing a series of posts on his platform X (formerly Twitter), in which he suggests a connection between transgender individuals and violence. Without offering any proof, the Tesla founder claimed that transgender people are more violent than cisgender individuals—a statement unsupported by any credible research.
Musk is currently on the defensive after multiple Tesla dealerships in the U.S. and abroad were vandalized. In what appears to be an attempt to divert attention from the widespread protests, he shared a post on Thursday resembling an article from the right-wing outlet The Daily Caller. The article, which cites unverified claims from social media, alleges that three out of four people arrested in connection with the vandalism were transgender or nonbinary.
Dangerous and Misleading Claims
Musk quickly seized on the claim to make serious accusations. In one of his posts, he wrote: “Hormone injections cause extreme emotional volatility. That is simply a fact.” The statement is not only false but potentially dangerous. In fact, research consistently shows that transgender people are far more likely to be victims of violence than perpetrators.
But Musk didn’t stop there. Shortly after, he shared a chart supposedly showing that trans women in the UK are imprisoned for sexual offenses at higher rates than cis men. The infographic, uploaded by user “Hanjo Girke,” lacked sources or any explanation of how the data were collected or interpreted. According to Mother Jones, the claim is based on distorted information and errors in both prison records and census data, leading to deeply misleading conclusions.
This is far from the first time Musk has spread misinformation about LGBTQ+ individuals. Since acquiring Twitter, he has repeatedly engaged with accounts that promote hate, including Chaya Raichik of Libs of TikTok, known for linking trans people to mass shootings—a narrative that has gained traction in conservative circles in the U.S.
Musk even went as far as to share a tweet from Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace, who wrote: “Tesla’s [sic] aren’t the reason you’re trans. Stop lighting them on fire.” Musk replied, “this is unfair projection,” followed by a crying-laughing emoji—yet another example of his flippant and mocking attitude toward serious issues.
Amid this online drama, Musk’s daughter Vivian Wilson appeared in her first magazine interview with Teen Vogue, where she referred to her father as “a pathetic man-child” and stressed that his extreme views had nothing to do with her.
Musk is now yet another prominent voice in a growing chorus of right-wing figures pushing the narrative that transgender people are dangerous. In reality, these false narratives only fuel more hatred and violence—while offering no real solutions.
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