A heartbroken father in Iceland claims he lost his parental rights after voicing objections to his 11-year-old autistic son’s decision to undergo a sex change. This contentious case has sparked global interest, drawing comments from figures like billionaire Elon Musk, as the father accuses the legal system of favoring progressive ideals over a parent’s duty to safeguard their child.
Alexandre Rocha, a French citizen residing in Iceland for a quarter of a century, was stripped of custody in December, with the child’s mother gaining custody. Speaking to Fox News Digital, Rocha expressed his belief that the court’s decision was influenced by his skepticism about the long-term effects of puberty blockers and hormone treatments.
“These medical procedures should be considered criminal,” Rocha stated. “Subjecting kids to such interventions, like castrating my son, is unacceptable. This ideology should not involve children.”
Rocha contended that his son, then just 10 and influenced by games like Minecraft and Roblox, was too young to grasp the irreversible nature of gender transition.
In this undated photo, Alexandre Rocha is seen holding his son. (Photo provided by Alexandre Rocha)
“It’s natural for any child facing a separation and an autism diagnosis to struggle mentally,” Rocha explained. “While transitioning might seem a happy solution, offering validation and attention, my worry lies in the long-term effects. Will they remain content after years of hormone treatments? Does it truly address their underlying mental or emotional struggles?”
Despite his child being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder just eight months ago, Rocha said the court and medical professionals “slightly passed over” the diagnosis during the trial.
He noted that children on the autism spectrum often struggle with feeling “right in their skin” or “wanting to be something else,” adding that his child sometimes prefers to be a cat — wearing a tail or cat ears.
Alexandre Rocha is pictured in this undated photo with his son. (Photo courtesy of Alexandre Rocha)
However, when he raised those concerns in court, Rocha said an Icelandic endocrinologist “totally dismissed” him under oath, guaranteeing the hormone drugs posed “no problem” and refusing to examine underlying mental health factors.
Now cut out of the medical decision-making process, Rocha said he fears what treatment his son may be receiving without his knowledge.
“It could very well be that he is being treated with hormones and I don’t know anything about it,” he said.
Rocha added that the child’s mother is pushing a “stronger ideology than ever,” saying he had to use advanced artificial intelligence (AI) program ChatGPT to understand terms like “deadname,” which refers to a person’s birth name before a sex change.
Alexandre Rocha is pictured in this undated photo with his son. (Photo courtesy of Alexandre Rocha)
“I can’t support this kind of speech. This, to me, is diabolical. It’s beyond love,” he said. “When you talk about a kid, you can’t talk about death. It just doesn’t make sense to me.”
Rocha said he was notified in February that the child’s mother formally changed his son’s name to a female name, “meaning his ID will now clearly state he is a girl.”
The father said he believes the court’s ruling was not about his child’s welfare, but rather a coordinated effort to silence dissent.
“It is to control parents. It is to control me,” he said. “It is to silence me. It is to give all power to this ideology.”
Rocha’s story has garnered international attention and recently caught Musk’s eye.
Rocha’s story recently caught the attention of Elon Musk. (Getty Images)
The Tesla CEO has been outspoken about transgender issues after revealing his son, Xavier, transitioned to a female and now goes by the name Vivian Jenna Wilson.
Musk said he was “essentially tricked” into giving consent for Wilson to go on puberty blockers, before he had “any understanding of what was going on.”
In response to a post about Rocha’s story on popular X account @libsoftiktok, Musk said, “The woke mind virus even affects Iceland.”
Rocha said he was “very surprised and honored” that Musk shared his story.
“I think we have a common fight going on,” he said. “Because at the end of the day, we’re all parents, no matter the borders or nationalities.”
Musk did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Beyond politics, Rocha said he misses everyday moments with his son, who he said he hasn’t seen since January.
“I miss story time at night and cooking together,” he said, noting how much he enjoyed sharing 1990s Steven Spielberg movies like “Jurassic Park” with his son.
Rocha recently requested daily fines against the child’s mother for obstructing his court-ordered visitation rights.
The mother denied intentionally blocking the visits, claiming the child refuses to attend because Rocha rejects his transgender identity and does not use his new name, according to court documents.
Rocha provided a witness affidavit alleging their last visitation went smoothly and that the child appeared happy and secure in his presence.
Alexandre Rocha is pictured in this undated photo with his grandmother and his son. (Photo courtesy of Alexandre Rocha)
He recalled a recent visit where his son said he “missed it, to be with grandma and my sister.”
“When you don’t know what’s happening on the other side, as a parent, you get really worried,” Rocha said. “We are slowly drifting apart, and that’s a very sad outcome of this.”
Despite pressure to stay quiet, Rocha urged other parents to trust their “instincts,” speak up and seek professional guidance.
“I’m here for my kid and for his future,” he said. “That’s the only thing I care about. I am campaigning for him, for his future.”
The child’s mother could not immediately be reached by Fox News Digital for comment.
