RM Elon Musk’s X Supports Republican Activist Facing Criminal Investigation Over Transgender Bathroom Photo
Elon Musk’s X platform has publicly expressed its support for Michelle Evans, a Republican activist under investigation for potentially criminal actions after resharing a photo of a transgender woman using a women’s restroom.
On December 29, X’s Global Government Affairs department issued a statement announcing their backing of Evans, the local Republican party chair in Texas. The case involves Evans facing criminal charges for reposting a picture taken in May 2023, showing a trans woman in the women’s bathroom at the Texas State Capitol. This occurred during a legislative debate about banning gender-affirming care for minors.
The social media platform’s statement read, “X is proud to support the legal case of Michelle Evans.” It went on to clarify that Evans had neither taken the photo herself nor made any alterations to it; she merely shared it on X as part of her commentary on the political issues surrounding transgender rights. Despite this, a criminal investigation was launched by the Travis County District Attorney shortly after Evans’s post.
The statement continued to argue that Evans’s actions were protected under the First Amendment. X criticized a recent decision by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which allowed the criminal investigation to proceed with a 2-1 vote. The company’s statement expressed their intention to assist Evans in appealing the decision before the full Fifth Circuit court, which comprises 17 judges. X emphasized that they hoped the court would rectify the situation and protect free speech, calling it a crucial element of American democracy.
X’s support for Evans comes amid mounting criticism of the platform’s treatment of LGBTQ+ users. In GLAAD’s 2023 Social Media Safety Index, X ranked poorly, falling behind platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Threads in terms of safety and privacy for LGBTQ+ individuals. Following Musk’s acquisition of Twitter (now X), several LGBTQ+ organizations, including Mermaids and LGBT Youth Scotland, stopped using the platform, citing concerns about user safety.
Musk, who has been vocal about his opposition to transgender rights, has recently made controversial remarks about his estranged daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson. He has repeatedly blamed a so-called “woke mind virus” for influencing Wilson’s gender identity, even stating in 2024 that his “son” was “dead.” Wilson, who is 21 and has pursued a career as a model, responded to her father’s comments with resilience, famously saying she looked “pretty good for a dead b**ch” while making her debut at New York Fashion Week in 2025.
This move by X and Musk’s involvement in the case have sparked further debates on free speech, transgender rights, and the platform’s evolving role in social discourse.
