Reykjavik, Iceland – An Icelandic family court's decision to remove a father's parental rights following his public opposition to gender transition medical treatments for his autistic son has ignited international scrutiny, recently drawing the attention of entrepreneur Elon Musk. Alexandre Rocha, a French national residing in Iceland for 25 years, lost custody of his child to the boy’s mother in December 2025, a ruling he attributes to his questioning of the long-term effects of puberty blockers and hormone therapies on his then-10-year-old son.
Rocha articulated his profound concerns regarding the medical interventions, stating to Fox News Digital, "It should be a crime. You are molesting kids, castrating a boy, like in the case of my kid. This shouldn’t happen. This is an ideology that has no place for kids." He emphasized his belief that a child whose daily life revolves around video games such as Minecraft and Roblox cannot fully comprehend the irreversible consequences of sex reassignment procedures.
The father acknowledged the immediate emotional appeal that transitioning might offer children facing difficult circumstances. "Naturally, every kid [after a separation and autism diagnosis] will have a mental challenge," Rocha noted. "The transition is a happy place. They do feel validated, they like the attention." However, his primary concerns focused on the future well-being of his son. He questioned, "Will they still be happy in four years from now, or six years, from having blockers and having more hormones? Is it really fixing what is underlying — the mental challenge or difficulty, whatever they’re going through?"
A significant aspect of Rocha's argument centered on his son's autism spectrum disorder diagnosis, which was received just eight months prior to the trial. Rocha contended that both the court and medical professionals "slightly passed over" this diagnosis during the proceedings. He highlighted that children on the autism spectrum often report feeling "right in their skin" or "wanting to be something else," citing instances where his son would identify as a cat, wearing a tail or cat ears. When these concerns were presented in court, an Icelandic endocrinologist reportedly testified under oath and "totally dismissed" them, according to Rocha, guaranteeing that the hormone drugs posed "no problem" and declining to explore underlying mental health factors.
With his parental rights severed, Rocha reports that he now lacks any visibility into his son’s ongoing medical care. He expressed deep apprehension, stating, "It could very well be that he is being treated with hormones, and I don’t know anything about it." Rocha further asserted that the child’s mother has been actively promoting what he characterized as a "stronger ideology than ever." He recounted having to use artificial intelligence to understand terms like "deadname," which refers to a person's birth name prior to a sex change. "I can’t support this kind of speech. This, to me, is diabolical. It’s beyond love," he said.
In February 2026, Rocha received notification that the mother had formally changed his son’s name to a female name, resulting in the child’s official identification documents now listing him as a girl. Rocha interprets the court’s ruling as extending beyond his son’s welfare, believing it is "to control parents. It is to control me. It is to silence me. It is to give all power to this ideology."
The case garnered wider attention when it reached Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and owner of the social media platform X. Musk has previously voiced his opinions on transgender issues, including disclosing that his son Xavier transitioned and now uses the name Vivian Jenna Wilson. Musk has stated he was "essentially tricked" into consenting to puberty blockers before he had "any understanding of what was going on." After encountering Rocha’s story on the X account @libsoftiktok, Musk posted on February 25, 2026, "The woke mind virus even affects Iceland."
Rocha expressed his gratitude and surprise at Musk’s acknowledgment. "I was very surprised and honored," he said, adding, "I think we have a common fight going on. Because at the end of the day, we’re all parents, no matter the borders or nationalities." Beyond the legal and political dimensions of the case, Rocha described the profound personal toll of separation from his son, whom he has not seen since January 2026. He fondly recalled shared moments, saying, "I miss story time at night and cooking together," and remembering how he introduced his son to classic 1990s films like "Jurassic Park."
Recently, Rocha filed a request for daily fines against the mother, alleging obstruction of his court-ordered visitation rights. The mother, however, has denied intentionally blocking visits, citing court documents that claim the child refuses to attend because Rocha rejects the transgender identity and declines to use the new name. Rocha countered this by submitting a witness affidavit, asserting that their last visit was amicable and that his son appeared happy, reportedly saying he "missed it, to be with grandma and my sister." Despite the ongoing legal and personal challenges, Rocha maintains a steadfast commitment to his child’s future. "I’m here for my kid and for his future," he told Fox, "That’s the only thing I care about. I am campaigning for him, for his future." He urged other parents to trust their instincts and seek professional guidance when facing similar dilemmas.
