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Why Is Elon Musk Shifting X, SpaceX HQ, Why Is He Against California Law On Student Gender Notification Ban?

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Edited By: Shilpy Bisht

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New Delhi, India

Elon Musk has an estranged relation with one of his children who is transgender, a situation that has been previously reported by Axios.

Elon Musk has an estranged relation with one of his children who is transgender, a situation that has been previously reported by Axios.

Elon Musk has announced that he will relocate the headquarters of SpaceX and X, from California to Texas. Musk elaborated that he had previously warned Governor Newsom that laws like this would push families and companies out of California

California becomes the first state in the US prohibiting policies that force schools to inform parents if their children ask to use a different name or pronouns. Governor Gavin Newsom signed the law on Monday.

The law bans school rules requiring teachers and other staff to disclose a student’s gender identity or sexual orientation to any other person with the child’s permission.

Parents would retain the right to access their child’s school records, and minors are still required to get permission from their parents or guardians before legally changing their name or gender.

The legislation comes amid a nationwide debate over local school districts and the rights of parents and LGBTQ students.

LGBTQ supporters have hailed the law, and said it will help protect LGBTQ students who live in unwelcoming households.

The passing of AB 1955 into law has sparked a major backlash among anti-transgender groups on social media, particularly on X, which Elon Musk owns.

What is the Need for the Law?

The new law comes after several school districts in California passed policies requiring that parents be notified if a child requests to change their gender identification. That led to pushback by Democratic state officials, who say students have a right to privacy.

States across the US have sought to impose bans on gender affirming care, bar transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s sports, and require schools to out trans and non-binary students to their parents, according to NBC News.

In Northern California, the Anderson Union High School District board approved a parental notification policy last year. But the teachers’ union recommended that teachers not enforce the rule.

Controversial Policy

The Chino Valley school board approved the policy over the last summer to require school staff — including principals, counsellors and teachers — to notify parents in writing within three days of the school finding out their child asks to be identified as a gender different from what is listed on official records. The policy also requires staff to tell parents if their child begins using bathrooms designated for a different gender.

School district policies requiring school staff to notify parents of their child’s gender identification change bubbled up after a bill by Republican Assemblymember Bill Essayli, which would have implemented the policy statewide, failed to receive a hearing in the Legislature last year.

Why is Elon Musk Against The Law?

Elon Musk announced on Tuesday that he will relocate the headquarters of his companies, SpaceX and X, from California to Texas. Musk elaborated that he had previously warned Governor Newsom that laws like this would push families and companies out of California.

Musk has an estranged relation with one of his children who is transgender, a situation that has been previously reported by Axios.

Will It Be a Challenge for X?

Critics say the move to shift X headquarters to Texas was likely planned regardless of the California legislation and that he is using the law as a convenient justification. They also point out Musk’s contentious relationship with his eldest child, who reportedly faced conflict with him after coming out as transgender.

The impact of relocating SpaceX’s headquarters from Southern California, a crucial hub for defence contractors and the aerospace industry, is yet to be fully understood. Southern California has long been home to major companies like Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Raytheon, which play a significant role in the region’s economy and workforce.

In 2021, Musk relocated Tesla’s headquarters from Palo Alto, California, to Austin, Texas. He himself also moved his personal residence to Texas. However, just a few years later, Tesla had to relocate its global engineering headquarters back to California due to challenges in finding top-tier engineering talent willing to work in Texas.

first published:July 17, 2024, 16:40 IST
last updated:July 17, 2024, 16:42 IST