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The Queensland government released confidential information about the parent of a trans teenager – information she says potentially exposed her teen – to a stranger.

Allegations of “Bullying” and “Privacy Violation”

The revelation emerged as the government was charged of “coercion” and “a breach of confidentiality” after requesting private medical information from parents of trans youth who are considering a further court case to its controversial prohibition on puberty blockers.

Recent Government Directive on Puberty Blockers

Recently, the state health official, Tim Nicholls, enacted a new order banning the prescription of hormone blockers for transgender patients, just hours after the high court ruled the initial ban was unlawful.

Media has interviewed four mothers who have approached Nicholls for a official paper called a statement of reasons – a formal explanation of why the authorities decided to prohibit puberty blockers in the state. By law, the paper must be supplied under the legal statute.

Requested Medical Details

Each were required by the health authorities for details of their teen’s health background, including “your child’s name, their birthdate and any supporting documents which confirms your child having a medical confirmation of gender dysphoria”.

The information were sought before the statement of reasons would be released.

The message, which has been seen by the media, also instructed them to verify if your child is a patient of the youth gender service so that we can confirm the information submitted with the health service,” states the email, which was sent recently.

Mothers Describe Request as Invasion of Privacy

All four mothers described the demand as an violation of confidentiality.

One parent said she was hesitant to share the information because the authorities had mistakenly sent her data to a different parent.

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

Situation of the Mother

The parent, who cannot be legally identified because it would also reveal or expose her child, was one of several who requested a statement of reasons on multiple occasions.

In May, the department emailed a response intended for her to another parent, disclosing her name and address – and the fact that she had a transgender child – to a stranger. She said a government employee later apologised over the phone; the Guardian has seen an message from the department admitting the mistake.

She said she felt “ill and vulnerable” as a result of the error.

“My daughter is incredibly private. She is immensely fearful of being outed in any social setting. She dislikes anyone to be aware that she’s trans,” the mother said.

“I respect that to my core as much as possible. The sole occasion I ever, ever share is out of need for obtaining entry to supports and exclusively to individuals I deem incredibly safe and I trust completely.”

Louise was especially worried about the suggestion it would be “verified” by the hospital.

She said the demand was “intimidating” and “feels threatening”.

Additional Mother Expresses Worries

Sally* said she was unwilling disclosing the health background of her young gender-diverse child.

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

“To think that that data could inadvertently be leaked someday, in any manner, you know, even if that was accidental, could be deeply, deeply distressing to them.”

She wrote back saying the agency had asked for an “extraordinary amount of information”.

“I would not share that information to any other organisation that requested it, particularly in the context of the present environment,” she said.

“It’s such intensely private information. You would not reveal, for example, your medical condition to the government office, you know. You’d be hesitant and very cautious to submit such details to a group of officials, essentially.”

Legal Service Weighing Further Action

The LGBTI Legal Service, which assisted the parent in her case, was evaluating a second lawsuit, it said last week.

The head, Ren Shike, said the decision had impacted about hundreds of minors and their relatives and it was “important to efficiently facilitate the provision of explanations so that children and their guardians can comprehend the reasoning behind this ruling, which has had such a severe effect on their access to healthcare”.

Government Position on Ban

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