Hyderabad, May 17: Tech billionaire Elon Musk sparked a fresh social media controversy after describing Instagram as “for girls” during an online discussion about social media habits and digital culture.
Musk made the remark while replying to a viral thread discussing how online behaviour reflects different stages of life. The original conversation focused on trends such as posting “thirst traps,” sharing constant stories and uploading pictures of homemade meals.
Joining the discussion, Musk posted a brief comment saying, “Instagram is for girls.” The statement quickly went viral across social media platforms and triggered strong reactions from users.
Elon Musk Faces Backlash Over Instagram Comment
As criticism grew online, Musk added another controversial remark. He wrote, “Sometimes grown men send me their Instagram profiles and I’m like are you transitioning or what?”
The comments intensified debate around Musk’s views on gender, masculinity and online culture. Critics accused him of reinforcing stereotypes and making insensitive comments about gender identity. However, supporters defended the Tesla and SpaceX CEO, claiming he was using satire and humour in his usual provocative style.
Observers noted that Musk frequently posts controversial opinions that dominate digital conversations and generate massive engagement online.
The timing of the remarks also drew attention because Musk simultaneously promoted X while criticising rival social media platforms. In another post, he claimed, “Only X is open, the other social media companies manipulate the results behind closed doors.”
Obviously.
Sometimes grown men send me their Instagram profiles and I’m like are you transitioning or what?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 15, 2026
Since acquiring Twitter in 2022 and rebranding it as X, Musk has repeatedly positioned the platform as an alternative focused on open discussion and unrestricted speech.
Musk has also targeted Meta platforms and CEO Mark Zuckerberg several times in recent months. Earlier, he questioned the reliability of WhatsApp and encouraged users to adopt X for communication services.
The latest controversy once again highlighted Musk’s ability to dominate global online conversations through short and provocative social media posts.
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