A French father living in Iceland, Alexandre Rocha, lost full custody of his 11-year-old son last December after opposing plans for puberty blockers and hormone treatments. The boy, diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and ADHD, had been under medical consideration for gender transition.
Rocha expressed concern in court that his son might not fully understand the long-term implications of medical treatments, noting the child’s playful interests in games like Minecraft and Roblox and imaginative activities such as pretending to be a cat. An endocrinologist testified that the hormone treatments were safe, but did not address the child’s mental health in depth.
Following the ruling, the mother was granted sole custody and full medical decision-making authority. In February, she legally changed her son’s name to a feminine version and updated official identification documents. Rocha has not seen his son since January and has requested daily fines for missed visitation, though the mother says the child refuses visits due to Rocha’s refusal to use the new name or support the transition.
The case drew attention on social media, including from Elon Musk, who commented, “The woke mind virus even affects Iceland.” Rocha says he is focused on protecting his son’s future and restoring visitation rights. The custody decision followed Icelandic gender autonomy laws and consulted a national LGBTQ organization. The mother has not made public statements regarding the situation.
