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The Queensland government disclosed confidential information about the mother of a trans teenager – data she claims potentially exposed her child – to a stranger.

Accusations of “Bullying” and “Privacy Violation”

The revelation emerged as the state government was accused of “intimidation” and “a breach of confidentiality” after demanding private health records from parents of transgender children who are considering a further court case to its disputed ban on puberty blockers.

Recent Government Directive on Puberty Blockers

Recently, the Queensland health official, Tim Nicholls, enacted a fresh directive prohibiting the prescription of hormone blockers for transgender patients, shortly after the state’s supreme court ruled the initial ban was illegal.

Guardian Australia has interviewed several parents who have contacted Nicholls for a official paper called a statement of reasons – a formal explanation of why the government decided to prohibit puberty blockers in the region. By law, the document must be provided under the state’s Judicial Review Act.

Demanded Medical Details

Each were required by the Queensland health department for details of their child’s medical history, including the minor’s identity, their birthdate and any other evidence which supports your child having a medical confirmation of gender identity disorder”.

The details were sought before the explanation would be provided.

The message, which has been seen by the media, also instructed them to verify if your teen is a client of the Queensland Children’s Gender Clinic so that we can verify the data provided with the health service,” reads the communication, which was sent recently.

Parents Describe Request as Invasion of Privacy

Each parent described the demand as an invasion of privacy.

One parent said she was reluctant to share the information because the authorities had accidentally forwarded her information to a different parent.

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

Situation of the Mother

The parent, who cannot be legally identified because it would also reveal or “out” her child, was among those who requested a statement of reasons both times.

Earlier, the agency emailed a response intended for her to another parent, disclosing her name and address – and the detail that she had a transgender child – to a stranger. She said a government employee later apologised by telephone; the media has obtained an message from the department confirming the mistake.

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

“My child is incredibly private. She is immensely fearful of being exposed in any public space. She dislikes people to know that she’s trans,” the mother said.

“I honor that to my core as much as humanly possible. The only time I ever share is out of necessity for obtaining entry to services and only to people I deem incredibly safe and I know well.”

Louise was particularly concerned about the suggestion it would be “verified” by the medical facility.

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

Other Parent Voices Worries

Sally* said she was not comfortable revealing the health background of her seven-year-old gender-diverse child.

“It’s not my data, it’s a child’s details,” she said.

“To think that that information could accidentally be leaked someday, in any manner, you know, even if that was accidental, could be extremely upsetting to him.”

She responded saying the department had requested an “extraordinary amount of information”.

“I would not share that data to any other organisation that asked for it, especially 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 careful to provide any of that information to a group of officials, basically.”

Advocacy Group Weighing Second Lawsuit

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

The head, Ren Shike, said the decision had impacted about 500 Queensland children and their relatives and it was “important to efficiently facilitate the supply of reasons so that children and their guardians can understand the reasoning behind this ruling, which has had such a devastating impact on their access to healthcare”.

Authorities Stance on Prohibition

The authorities has repeatedly said the prohibition would stay enforced until a review into trans healthcare had been finished.