A new media storm has hit Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur behind Tesla and SpaceX, after he publicly called for a boycott of all sports competitions that, in his words, “allow biological males to compete against women.” This statement, widely shared on social media, quickly sparked a wave of outrage, notably from two leading figures in inclusive sports: American transgender swimmer Lia Thomas and Italian sprinter Valentina Petrillo.
Lia Thomas, who became famous for winning collegiate swimming titles in the United States while being a transgender woman, quickly responded on X (formerly Twitter). In a message to her more than 500,000 followers, she denounced Musk’s comments as “dangerous, discriminatory, and profoundly ignorant of the realities of sports and human diversity.” She said Musk uses his platform to stir up hatred and divide people instead of promoting inclusion and respect for human rights.
Valentina Petrillo, for her part, expressed her outrage in an interview with an Italian media outlet. The first transgender athlete to compete in women’s para-athletics in Italy, Petrillo said: “This kind of discourse only reinforces stereotypes and exposes trans people to more violence. It’s not up to Elon Musk to define who has the right to participate in society.” She also called on international sporting bodies not to give in to media pressure and to continue working towards greater inclusion.
Musk’s supporters justify his stance by claiming it’s about defending fairness in sport and the safety of women in competitions. Social media has quickly turned into an ideological battleground, pitting those who support strict separation based on biological sex against those who defend the rights of transgender people to compete according to their gender identity.
Musk’s statement comes amid an already tense climate, marked by several controversies surrounding the place of trans athletes in elite sport. Sports leagues, such as World Aquatics, have already implemented restrictions or created “open” categories in an attempt to balance inclusion and equity. However, the debates remain heated and far from resolved.
This latest clash between Elon Musk and transgender sports figures illustrates the growing polarization in society over issues of gender, rights, and identity. And if one thing is certain, it’s that the debate is far from over.
