Entrepeurner Elon Musk has said he will move the headquarters of his company SpaceX from California to Texas in a protest against controversial legislation signed into law by California Governor Gavin Newsom.
Musk has been an outspoken critic of what he deems woke politics, and described new California legislation surrounding children’s gender identity as a “final straw”.
Gavin Newsom Defends Controversial Legislation
On Monday, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law the SAFETY Act, which proponents say will help safeguard vulnerable children.
The legislation rebukes laws in some parts of California that force schools to inform parents of any changes to a child’s gender identity – such as them choosing a new name or new pronouns to go by.
Bill Proponents Say Legislation Will Protect Children
The bill’s supporters say it will protect children whose parents might respond aggressively, even violently, to news that their child no longer identifies with the gender they were assigned at birth.
The author of the bill, Assemblymember Chris Ward said, “While some school districts have adopted policies to forcibly out students, the SAFETY Act ensures that discussions about gender identity remain a private matter within the family.”
Musk: “This is The Final Straw”
In response to the legislation, Musk said, “This is the final straw. Because of this law and the many others that preceded it, attacking both families and companies, SpaceX will now move its HQ from Hawthorne, California, to Starbase.”
He added, “I did make it clear to Governor Newsom about a year ago that laws of this nature would force families and companies to leave California to protect their children.”
Texas Governor Celebrates Move
In recent years, many on the political right have advocated people move from California to Texas to escape ‘woke’ politics. On Tuesday, the Republican Governor of Texas welcomed Musk’s move.
On Twitter, Governor Greg Abbott said the move of SpaceX HQs to Texas “cements Texas as the leader in space exploration.”
Elon Musk Weighs in on Presidential Race
Musk, who has become increasingly politically outspoken in recent years, recently weighed in on the presidential race. The businessman’s move was seemingly prompted by the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.
“I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery,” Musk posted on X/Twitter in the immediate aftermath of the attack. Musk later suggested that the Secret Service may have deliberately allowed Trump to be shot.
What is Trump’s Record on LGBTQ+ Rights?
During the 2016 Presidential campaign, Trump positioned himself as being more supportive of the LGBTQ+ community than previous Republican nominees had been – famously holding up an “LGBT for Trump” pride flag.
However, Trump rolled back many protections for the community while President, and issued a ban on transgender people serving in the military. If elected again in 2024, Trump has promised to rescind Title IX protections for LGBTQ+ students “on day one”.
Trans Issues Are Personal For Musk
Musk said in June that he would be “actively lobbying to criminalize” parts of gender-affirming care for under-18s – a position that seems to have isolated him from his transgender daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson.
In a court filing, Wilson requested a name change and said, “I no longer live with or wish to be related to my biological father in any way, shape or form.”
An Increasingly Dangerous Landscape For Trans People
2022 data from the FBI showed a 14% increase in hate crimes based on sexual orientation compared to 2021. In the same time period, hate crimes based on gender identity increased 33%.
Meanwhile, a 2023 study found that a quarter of transgender adults had been “physically attacked because of their gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation.”
Musk’s Move Provokes Divided Response
On X/Twitter, some voiced support for Musk’s move to Texas and suggested more people would follow suit. One user posted, “I suspect a lot of other families and companies are also making plans to exit California.” Meanwhile, Caitlyn Jenner – who is herself transgender – praised Musk’s move.
However, others were less supportive. One transgender person accused Musk of hating and being obsessed with Transgender people. Meanwhile, a New York state senator planning to introduce similar legislation to that passed in California said to Musk, “We will not be intimidated by your economic blackmail at the expense of the LGBTQ community, especially our kids.”
