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The state government disclosed private information about the mother of a transgender teenager – information she claims potentially “outed” her child – to a stranger.

Allegations of “Bullying” and “Invasion of Privacy”

The disclosure came as the state government was accused of “intimidation” and “an invasion of privacy” after demanding confidential health records from parents of trans youth who are contemplating a additional legal challenge to its disputed prohibition on hormone blockers.

Recent Official Directive on Hormone Treatments

Recently, the Queensland health official, Tim Nicholls, enacted a fresh directive prohibiting the use of puberty blockers for transgender patients, shortly after the state’s supreme court determined the initial ban was unlawful.

Media has interviewed several parents who have contacted Nicholls for a legal document called a explanation of decision – a formal explanation of why the government decided to ban hormone treatments in the region. Legally, the paper must be supplied under the legal statute.

Demanded Health Information

All four were required by the health authorities for particulars of their teen’s health background, including the minor’s identity, their birthdate and any other evidence which supports your teen having a clinical diagnosis of gender identity disorder”.

The details were requested before the explanation would be released.

The message, which has been reviewed by the Guardian, also asked them to verify if your teen is a patient of the youth gender service so that we can verify the data provided with Children’s Health Queensland,” reads the communication, which was sent last Friday.

Parents Describe Demand as Invasion of Privacy

Each parent characterized the request as an violation of confidentiality.

A mother said she was reluctant to share the information because the state government had accidentally forwarded her information to a another individual.

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

Situation of the Mother

The parent, who cannot be legally identified because it would also identify or expose her teen, was among those who requested a explanation both times.

In May, the department sent a response intended for her to someone else, revealing her name and location – and the fact that she had a transgender child – to a stranger. She said a department official later apologised over the phone; the media has obtained an email from the department admitting the mistake.

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

“My child is very reserved. She is deeply afraid of being exposed in any social setting. She doesn’t like people to know that she’s transgender,” the mother said.

“I honor that to my very being as much as humanly possible. The sole occasion I ever, ever share is out of necessity for obtaining entry to services and only to people I deem incredibly safe and I trust completely.”

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

She said the request was “threatening” and “feels threatening”.

Additional Mother Expresses Concerns

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

“It’s not my information, it’s a child’s details,” 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 responded saying the agency had asked for an “extraordinary amount of information”.

“I wouldn’t provide that information to any other organisation that asked for it, particularly in the context of the current political climate,” she said.

“It’s such highly confidential information. You wouldn’t disclose, for instance, your HIV status to the minister’s office, you know. You’d be very reluctant and careful to provide such details to a group of officials, essentially.”

Advocacy Group Considering Further Action

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

The head, Ren Shike, said the decision had impacted about hundreds of minors and their relatives and it was “important to promptly enable the provision of explanations so that minors and their parents can understand the reasoning behind this ruling, which has had such a devastating impact on their medical care”.

Authorities Position on Prohibition

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