cover 23
Vivian Jenna Wilson, a member of Elon Musk’s family, offered a candid reflection on the fractured family dynamics and emotional struggles that come with growing up in a high-profile, unconventional household during a confessional interview.
Now an adult, Vivian—who transitioned from Xavier Alexander Musk to Vivian Jenna Wilson in 2022 after coming out as transgender—shared with Teen Vogue the details of her severed relationship with Elon Musk and the challenges of connecting with her numerous half-siblings.
Since 2020, Vivian has remained estranged from Musk, choosing to completely distance herself from his public persona and influence.
Vivian further expressed that her family dynamic had been strained for years, revealing an upbringing marked by emotional distance and lack of clear communication.
In the interview, she reflected on how these complexities affected her sense of identity and belonging, particularly as she navigated her transition. “I didn’t feel like I had a safe space to understand myself fully,” she said.
Her comments have reignited public interest in her decision to sever ties with her father, Elon Musk, and sparked broader conversations about family estrangement and personal autonomy.
The billionaire entrepreneur, who has fathered over a dozen children through various relationships, has yet to fully disclose their identities to his sole legally acknowledged child.
“I learned about the situation with Shivon Zilis at the same time as the general public,” she stated, referencing the Neuralink executive who shares multiple children with Musk. “I had no prior knowledge of it.”
Vivian also shared that her awareness of being one of Musk’s many children surfaced through Reddit threads.
“I discovered that Grimes had a second child because a drag performer mentioned it on Reddit,” she added. “By now, I would have two nickels for the number of times Reddit has informed me of the existence of my half-siblings.”
Vivian further explained that she and her mother, Justine Wilson—Musk’s first wife—share no biological ties to the extended family beyond Justine being the mother of Musk’s first six children.
“My family has no contact with those relatives, and neither do I,” she remarked. “My mother doesn’t really either. She’s divorced—so, that’s that.”
She continued, “I have no interest in what anyone else in his family does. Their matters are of no concern to me.”
Vivian’s detachment is especially apparent when she describes her limited interaction with X Æ A-Xii and the other children Musk shares with musician Grimes.
She recalled meeting X Æ A-Xii only once when he was very young and noted that she has had contact with only one of Musk’s children from outside his relationship with her mother.
Vivian’s emotional hardship largely arises from her inability to cultivate a meaningful father-daughter relationship. Her sense of disorientation is compounded by her lack of clarity regarding the actual number of her siblings, often discovering the existence of unknown relatives through online sources such as Reddit.
In sharing her story, she illustrates how she navigates her personal identity, detachment, and emotional distance from a father whose public prominence contrasts sharply with her desire to sever all ties with him.
