A father in Iceland claims he lost custody of his autistic son after opposing the child’s sex reassignment, arguing that the courts prioritized ideology over parental rights.
A father in Iceland has reported that he lost custody of his 11-year-old autistic son after opposing the child’s sex reassignment. Alexandre Rocha, a French national who has lived in Iceland for 25 years, asserts that the courts favored progressive ideology over his parental rights and the well-being of his child.
Rocha’s custody battle culminated in December when he lost parental rights to his son’s mother. He believes the judge’s decision was influenced by his concerns regarding the long-term effects of puberty blockers and hormone therapies. “It should be a crime,” Rocha stated, describing the medical interventions as akin to “molesting kids” and castrating boys. He emphasized that such actions should not be permissible, arguing that they reflect an ideology that is inappropriate for children.
According to Rocha, his son, who was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder just eight months ago, is not equipped to understand the permanent consequences of sex reassignment. “Naturally, every kid [after a separation and autism diagnosis] will have a mental challenge,” he explained. “The transition is a happy place. They do feel validated, they like the attention… To me, the concern is the long-term. Will they still be happy in four years from now, or six years, from having blockers and having more hormones?”
Despite his child’s recent autism diagnosis, Rocha claims that the court and medical professionals largely overlooked this critical aspect during the trial. He pointed out that children on the autism spectrum often grapple with feelings of not being “right in their skin” or wanting to be something else. He recounted instances where his son expressed a desire to be a cat, wearing a tail or cat ears.
When Rocha raised these concerns in court, he said an Icelandic endocrinologist dismissed his worries, asserting under oath that the hormone treatments posed “no problem” and refusing to consider any underlying mental health issues. Now excluded from the medical decision-making process, Rocha expressed anxiety over what treatments 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 lamented.
Rocha also noted that the child’s mother is increasingly advocating for a “stronger ideology,” stating that he had to rely on advanced artificial intelligence programs like ChatGPT to understand terms such as “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. “When you talk about a kid, you can’t talk about death. It just doesn’t make sense to me.” In February, Rocha learned that the child’s mother had formally changed his son’s name to a female name, which means that his identification will now reflect this change.
Rocha believes that the court’s ruling was not genuinely concerned with his child’s welfare but was instead part of a broader effort to silence dissenting voices. “It is to control parents. It is to control me,” he asserted. “It is to silence me. It is to give all power to this ideology.”
Rocha’s situation has attracted international attention, including from billionaire Elon Musk. Musk, who has been vocal about transgender issues following the transition of his own child, expressed his support for Rocha’s story on social media. He remarked, “The woke mind virus even affects Iceland,” in response to a post about Rocha’s case.
Rocha expressed surprise and gratitude that Musk shared his story, stating, “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.” Musk did not immediately respond to requests for further comment.
Beyond the political implications of his custody battle, Rocha shared his deep emotional pain over missing everyday moments with his son, whom he has not seen since January. “I miss story time at night and cooking together,” he reflected, recalling how much he enjoyed sharing classic 1990s Steven Spielberg films like “Jurassic Park” with his child.
Recently, Rocha filed a request for daily fines against the child’s mother for obstructing his court-ordered visitation rights. The mother has denied intentionally blocking visits, claiming that the child refuses to attend because Rocha does not acknowledge his transgender identity or use his new name. However, Rocha provided a witness affidavit indicating that their last visit went smoothly and that the child appeared happy and secure in his presence.
He recounted a recent visit where his son expressed that he “missed it, to be with grandma and my sister.” Rocha expressed concern over the emotional distance growing between him and his son, stating, “When you don’t know what’s happening on the other side, as a parent, you get really worried. We are slowly drifting apart, and that’s a very sad outcome of this.”
Despite the pressure to remain silent, Rocha encouraged other parents to trust their instincts, speak out, and seek professional guidance. “I’m here for my kid and for his future,” he declared. “That’s the only thing I care about. I am campaigning for him, for his future.” The child’s mother could not be reached for comment regarding Rocha’s allegations.
According to Fox News Digital, Rocha’s case continues to raise questions about parental rights and the treatment of children with gender dysphoria.