Musk to Relocate SpaceX from California Over Transgender Law

News Desk

Texas: Elon Musk announced on Tuesday his decision to relocate the headquarters of SpaceX and X (formerly Twitter) from California to Texas.

This move comes in response to a newly passed California law prohibiting schools from mandating teachers to inform parents about changes to a student’s gender identity. Musk described this law as “the final straw,” prompting SpaceX to shift its base from Hawthorne, California, to Starbase, Texas.

Similarly, X’s headquarters will be moved from its art-deco building in San Francisco to Austin, Texas. Musk had previously threatened this relocation but had not followed through until now.

Notably, Tesla’s headquarters was also moved from Palo Alto in Silicon Valley to Austin, Texas.

Musk stated that he had warned Governor Gavin Newsom about a year ago that such laws would drive families and companies out of California to protect their children. He has often criticized the use of preferred pronouns, mocking the practice on social media and labeling it as part of a “woke” agenda harmful to society.

Governor Newsom signed the bill into law on Monday after a heated legislative process that saw a clash between school boards advocating for parental rights and LGBTQ activists concerned about the welfare of vulnerable students.

The law overturned decisions by conservative school districts that required teachers to notify parents if a student changed their name or pronouns or requested to use facilities or participate in programs not matching their official gender.

Newsom, a potential alternative to President Joe Biden as a Democratic candidate, has frequently clashed with conservatives over gender issues in state schools. Last year, he signed a law imposing fines on school districts that ban textbooks depicting LGBTQ individuals and other marginalized groups.

The new law follows a bitter dispute with a conservative school board over its opposition to the study of gay rights activist Harvey Milk, a San Francisco public official who was assassinated.

Musk’s announcement marks another chapter in his ongoing conflicts with Newsom, which included disputes over city and state health officials’ decisions during the deadliest stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.