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The Queensland government disclosed confidential details about the parent of a transgender teenager – data she says potentially “outed” her child – to a unknown individual.

Accusations of “Bullying” and “Invasion of Privacy”

The disclosure came as the government was charged of “intimidation” and “a breach of confidentiality” after demanding private health records from parents of transgender children who are contemplating a additional court case to its disputed prohibition on hormone blockers.

Recent Official Order on Hormone Treatments

Recently, the state health official, Tim Nicholls, issued a fresh directive banning the prescription of puberty blockers for trans individuals, shortly after the state’s supreme court determined the initial ban was illegal.

Media has interviewed four mothers who have approached Nicholls for a official paper called a statement of reasons – a detailed account of why the authorities made a decision to prohibit puberty blockers in the state. Legally, the paper must be provided under the legal statute.

Demanded Health Information

All four were required by the health authorities for particulars of their teen’s health background, including “your child’s name, their date of birth and any other evidence which supports your child having a medical confirmation of gender dysphoria”.

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

The email, which has been reviewed by the media, also asked them to verify if your child is a client of the youth gender service so that we can confirm the information provided with the health service,” reads the communication, which was dispatched recently.

Mothers Label Request as Invasion of Privacy

All four mothers described the request as an invasion of privacy.

One parent said she was reluctant to divulge the details because the authorities had mistakenly forwarded her information to a another individual.

“It feels like having to reveal your child to obtain a response; like, it’s frightening,” she said.

Situation of Louise*

The parent, who must remain anonymous because it would also identify or expose her child, was one of several who asked for a statement of reasons both times.

Earlier, the department sent a response intended for her to another parent, revealing her identity and address – and the fact that she had a trans teen – to a third party. She said a government employee later said sorry by telephone; the Guardian has seen an message from the agency confirming the error.

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

“My daughter is very reserved. She is deeply afraid of being outed in any public space. She dislikes anyone to be aware that she’s transgender,” Louise said.

“I honor that to my very being as much as possible. The only time I ever, ever disclose is out of necessity for obtaining entry to services and only to people I consider trustworthy and I trust completely.”

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

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

Other Parent Voices Concerns

Sally* said she was not comfortable revealing the medical history of her young non-binary 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, although that was accidental, could be extremely upsetting to them.”

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

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

“It’s such intensely private stuff. You wouldn’t disclose, for instance, your medical condition to the government office, you know. You’d be hesitant and very cautious to provide any of that information to a bunch of bureaucrats, basically.”

Advocacy Group Weighing Further Action

The LGBTI Legal Service, which represented the parent in her challenge, was considering a second lawsuit, it said recently.

Its president, Ren Shike, said the ruling had impacted about hundreds of minors and their relatives and it was “important to efficiently facilitate the provision of explanations so that minors and their guardians can understand the logic behind this ruling, which has had such a devastating impact on their medical care”.

Government Position on Prohibition

The government has repeatedly said the ban would remain in place until a review into trans healthcare had been finished.