Vivian Wilson’s Drag Debut: A Bold Statement of Identity and Activism
In the vibrant underbelly of Los Angeles’ nightlife, where sequins sparkle under neon lights and music pulses like a heartbeat, Vivian Jenna Wilson stepped into the spotlight on November 27, 2025, marking a pivotal moment in her personal and public journey.
At 21 years old, the transgender daughter of tech mogul Elon Musk made her highly anticipated debut as a drag queen under the stage name Vivllainous.
The event, held at a packed venue in West Hollywood, was not just a performance but a charity gala, with all proceeds funneled directly into the legal defense funds for immigrants facing deportation amid escalating federal crackdowns.
As Wilson twirled across the stage in a sleek black bodysuit that hugged her frame like a second skin, lip-syncing to the haunting operatic strains of “Wasted Love” by Austrian Eurovision winner JJ, she embodied resilience and defiance.
Pausing midway through her set to hoist a transgender pride flag high above her head, Wilson later reflected to the cheering crowd, “It was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.” This debut, coming just a day before the current date of November 28, 2025, has already ignited conversations across social media and mainstream outlets, blending themes of queer empowerment, family estrangement, and social justice.
The performance was part of the “Pattie Gonia Presents SAVE HER!” series, an environmental and activist-themed drag show that has become a staple in LA’s queer scene.
Organized by drag artist and environmental advocate Pattie Gonia, the event drew a diverse crowd of over 300 attendees, including fellow performers, activists, and supporters from immigrant rights groups like the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project.
Funds raised—estimated at $15,000 based on early reports from organizers—will support pro bono legal aid for those targeted by recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in Southern California. Wilson’s slot was the evening’s headliner, following sets by established queens like Viñas DeLuxe and local up-and-comers.
Her routine, a high-energy blend of dramatic voguing and emotional lip-syncing, culminated in a hair-whipping flourish that had the audience on their feet, chanting “Vivllainous! Vivllainous!” Videos of the moment, shared widely on X (formerly Twitter), amassed over 500,000 views within hours, with users praising her poise and the poignant symbolism of her flag-waving finale.
For Vivian Wilson, this debut was more than a stage moment; it was a reclamation of self. Born Xavier Alexander Musk in 2004 as one of Elon Musk’s twins with author Justine Wilson, Vivian has navigated a deeply public transition since coming out as transgender at age 14.
Her journey has been marked by profound personal challenges, including bullying, dysphoria, and the strain of growing up in the shadow of one of the world’s most influential—and controversial—figures.
In a 2022 petition to legally change her name and gender marker, Wilson cited her desire to sever ties with her father, stating she “no longer live[d] with or wish[ed] to be related to [her] biological father in any way.” This estrangement deepened publicly when Musk, in interviews and X posts, referred to her with male pronouns and deadnamed her, claiming her transition was influenced by “the woke mind virus” and that he had been “tricked” into approving gender-affirming care.
Musk’s comments, including a 2024 statement lamenting that his “son was killed by the virus,” have drawn widespread criticism from LGBTQ+ advocates for perpetuating harmful stereotypes about trans youth.
Wilson, however, has transformed that pain into fuel for advocacy. Now a model, influencer, and vocal critic of her father’s politics, she has built a following of over 200,000 on Instagram and X, where she shares unfiltered takes on trans rights, mental health, and celebrity culture.
Her drag persona, Vivllainous—a clever portmanteau of “Vivian” and “villainous”—mirrors this evolution. The name evokes a fierce, unapologetic anti-hero, one who flips the script on narratives of victimhood.
In an exclusive interview with Them.us just hours after the show, Wilson elaborated on her choice: “Drag has always been my escape and my armor. Since I was 14, sketching outfits in my room while dealing with all that family noise, I dreamed of owning a stage like this.
It’s not just performance; it’s survival turned into art.” She described the bodysuit, designed by a queer LA collective, as “a superhero’s uniform for the marginalized,” complete with knee-high boots and subtle metallic accents that caught the stage lights like shards of defiance.
The timing of Wilson’s debut feels especially resonant in late 2025’s charged political climate. With the U.S. midterm elections looming and debates over immigration policy raging, events like this serve as cultural flashpoints.
President-elect Donald Trump’s promised mass deportations have already spurred a surge in ICE activity, with over 10,000 detentions reported in California alone this year, according to Human Rights Watch.
By channeling her performance into immigrant aid, Wilson aligns herself with a broader wave of queer activism that intersects with racial justice. Pattie Gonia, the event’s curator, praised Wilson in a post-show X thread: “Vivllainous didn’t just slay—she slayed for a cause.
In a world trying to divide us, nights like this remind us we’re all in the fight together.” Fellow performers echoed this sentiment; drag icon Alaska Thunderfuck 5000, who mentored Wilson informally via DMs, tweeted, “Proud auntie moment. Vivian’s got that villain energy we all need right now.”
Social media reactions poured in like confetti, amplifying the night’s impact. On X, hashtags like #VivllainousDebut and #TransPower trended locally in LA, with users sharing clips of her routine set to empowering remixes.
One viral post from activist @TransLAVoice read: “Elon Musk’s daughter out here raising funds to fight the system her dad helped build. Iconic.” Not all feedback was glowing—conservative commentators, including Musk himself, who liked a critical reply calling it “sad performative nonsense,” reignited old family feuds.
Musk’s terse X response, “Wasted indeed,” garnered 2 million views and sparked a firestorm of clapbacks from trans influencers. Yet, for supporters, it underscored Wilson’s growing influence: a young woman using her platform to challenge power structures, one sequin at a time.
This debut also highlights drag’s enduring role as a sanctuary for trans artists. From the balls of 19th-century Harlem to modern RuPaul’s Drag Race marathons, drag has long been a space for gender exploration and community building. For Wilson, it’s a full-circle moment.
Earlier this year, in May 2025, she made waves at a Drag Race All Stars premiere, where footage of her strutting alongside queens like Jinkx Monsoon went viral, earning her the nickname “the reigning queen of internet chaos” from Vico Ortiz in a Them.us feature.
That night, cheered on by the cast, Wilson felt seen for the first time in years. Building on that buzz, her Vivllainous persona adds layers of theatricality to her activism.
Future plans? Wilson hinted at a full drag tour in 2026, with proceeds split between trans youth programs and immigrant relief. “This isn’t a one-off,” she told Out.com. “Vivllainous is here to stay—and to stir some shit up.”
As the curtain fell on her debut, Wilson lingered onstage, soaking in applause that drowned out the city’s hum. In that moment, she wasn’t Elon Musk’s daughter or a tabloid footnote; she was Vivllainous, a force unapologetically claiming her narrative.
Her story resonates beyond the stage, speaking to anyone who’s ever wrestled with identity in a world quick to judge. At a time when trans visibility faces backlash—from bathroom bills to family rejections—Wilson’s triumph is a beacon.
It’s a reminder that dreams, even lifelong ones deferred by doubt or discord, can bloom into something revolutionary. As 2025 draws to a close, with holidays approaching and uncertainties ahead, events like this offer hope: in the face of division, art and allyship can weave us tighter.
Vivian Wilson’s drag debut wasn’t just a performance; it was a promise—of more stories, more fights, more fulfillment to come.
