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The state government disclosed private details about the parent of a trans teenager – information she says potentially exposed her teen – to a unknown individual.

Allegations of “Bullying” and “Invasion of Privacy”

The revelation came as the government was accused of “intimidation” and “an invasion of privacy” after requesting private health records from parents of transgender children who are considering a further legal challenge to its controversial ban on hormone blockers.

Recent Official Directive on Hormone Treatments

Recently, the state health minister, Tim Nicholls, issued a new order prohibiting the use of hormone blockers for transgender patients, just hours after the state’s supreme court determined the initial ban was illegal.

Media has spoken to several parents who have approached Nicholls for a legal document called a explanation of decision – a detailed account of why the authorities decided to prohibit hormone treatments in the region. Legally, the paper must be provided under the legal statute.

Demanded Health Information

Each were required by the Queensland health department for particulars of their teen’s health background, including “your child’s name, their birthdate and any other evidence which supports your teen having a clinical diagnosis of gender identity disorder”.

The information were requested before the statement of reasons would be provided.

The email, which has been reviewed by the Guardian, also instructed them to verify if your teen is a patient of the Queensland Children’s Gender Clinic so that we can confirm the information submitted with Children’s Health Queensland,” states the email, which was sent recently.

Mothers Label Request as Breach of Confidentiality

All four mothers characterized the request as an violation of confidentiality.

A mother said she was reluctant to divulge the information because the authorities had accidentally sent her information to a different parent.

“It seems like having to reveal your child to actually get a reply; like, it’s terrifying,” she said.

Situation of the Mother

Louise*, who must remain anonymous because it would also identify or “out” her teen, was among those who asked for a statement of reasons both times.

In May, the department emailed a reply meant for her to another parent, revealing her identity and address – and the fact that she had a trans teen – to a stranger. She said a department official later said sorry over the phone; the media has seen an email from the department confirming the mistake.

She said she felt “sick and unsafe” as a result of the error.

“My daughter is incredibly private. She is deeply afraid of being exposed in any public space. She doesn’t like people to be aware that she’s trans,” Louise said.

“I respect that to my core as much as humanly possible. The sole occasion I ever, ever share is out of necessity for obtaining entry to services and only to individuals I consider trustworthy and I trust completely.”

The parent was especially worried about the implication it would be “confirmed” by the hospital.

She said the request was “threatening” and “seems coercive”.

Additional Parent Expresses Worries

Another mother said she was not comfortable disclosing the health background of her young non-binary child.

“It’s not my information, it’s a seven-year-old’s information,” she said.

“To imagine that that data could accidentally be disclosed one day, in any way, you know, even if that was unintentional, could be deeply, deeply distressing to them.”

She wrote back saying the department had asked for an “excessive level of detail”.

“I wouldn’t provide that information to any other organisation that requested it, particularly in the climate of the present environment,” she said.

“It’s such intensely private information. You would not reveal, for instance, your medical condition to the minister’s office, you know. You’d be hesitant and very cautious to provide any of that information to a bunch of bureaucrats, essentially.”

Advocacy Group Considering Further Action

The advocacy organization, which represented the mother in her challenge, was considering a second lawsuit, it said last week.

Its president, Ren Shike, said the ruling had impacted about hundreds of minors and their families and it was “important to efficiently facilitate the provision of reasons so that minors and their guardians can comprehend the logic behind this ruling, which has had such a severe effect on their access to healthcare”.

Government Stance on Ban

The authorities has consistently said the prohibition would stay enforced until a examination into gender-affirming care had been completed.