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The state government released private details about the parent of a trans teenager – information she says potentially exposed her child – to a stranger.

Allegations of “Intimidation” and “Privacy Violation”

The disclosure emerged as the state government was charged of “intimidation” and “a breach of confidentiality” after requesting confidential health records from guardians of transgender children who are contemplating a further court case to its controversial prohibition on hormone blockers.

Recent Government Directive on Puberty Blockers

Recently, the Queensland health minister, Tim Nicholls, enacted a fresh directive prohibiting the prescription of hormone blockers for trans individuals, just hours after the state’s supreme court ruled the government’s first attempt was unlawful.

Media has spoken to four mothers who have approached Nicholls for a official paper called a explanation of decision – a formal explanation of why the authorities made a decision to ban puberty blockers in the state. By law, the paper must be provided under the state’s Judicial Review Act.

Requested Health Information

All four were asked by the Queensland health department for details of their child’s medical history, including the minor’s identity, their date of birth and any other evidence which confirms your child having a medical confirmation of gender dysphoria”.

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

The email, which has been reviewed by the media, also instructed them to “please also confirm if your teen is a client of the Queensland Children’s Gender Clinic so that we can verify the information submitted with Children’s Health Queensland,” reads the email, which was sent last Friday.

Parents Describe Demand as Breach of Confidentiality

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

One parent said she was hesitant to share the details because the state government had mistakenly sent her information to a different parent.

“It feels like having to ‘out’ your teen to obtain a reply; like, it’s terrifying,” she said.

Case of the Mother

The parent, who must remain anonymous because it would also identify or “out” her child, was one of several who asked for a explanation both times.

Earlier, the agency sent a reply meant for her to someone else, disclosing her identity and location – and the detail that she had a trans teen – to a stranger. She said a government employee later said sorry by telephone; the Guardian has seen an message from the agency admitting the error.

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

“My daughter is incredibly private. She is immensely fearful of being outed in any social setting. She doesn’t like people to be aware that she’s transgender,” Louise said.

“I honor that to my core as much as humanly possible. The sole occasion I ever, ever share is out of need for gaining access to supports and only to people I consider trustworthy and I trust completely.”

Louise was particularly concerned about the suggestion it would be “confirmed” by the hospital.

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

Additional Mother Voices Concerns

Another mother said she was not comfortable disclosing the medical history of her seven-year-old non-binary child.

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

“To think that that information could accidentally be disclosed 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 requested an “extraordinary amount of information”.

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

“It’s such highly confidential stuff. You would not reveal, for example, your HIV status to the minister’s office, you know. You’d be hesitant and very cautious to submit any of that information to a group of officials, essentially.”

Legal Service Weighing Further Action

The advocacy organization, which represented the parent in her case, was evaluating a second lawsuit, it said recently.

Its president, Ren Shike, said the ruling had affected about hundreds of minors and their relatives and it was crucial to efficiently facilitate the provision of reasons so that children and their guardians can comprehend the reasoning behind this ruling, which has had such a devastating impact on their access to healthcare”.

Authorities Stance on Prohibition

The government has consistently said the prohibition would remain in place until a examination into trans healthcare had been completed.