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The Queensland government released confidential details about the mother of a transgender teenager – information she claims potentially “outed” her teen – to a unknown individual.

Allegations of “Intimidation” and “Invasion of Privacy”

The disclosure emerged as the government was accused of “intimidation” and “an invasion of privacy” after requesting private health records from guardians of trans youth who are considering a additional court case to its controversial ban on puberty blockers.

Recent Government Order on Hormone Treatments

Last month, the Queensland health minister, Tim Nicholls, enacted a new order banning the prescription of hormone blockers for trans individuals, just hours after the high court ruled the initial ban was unlawful.

Media has spoken to several parents who have contacted Nicholls for a official paper called a statement of reasons – a detailed account of why the authorities made a decision to prohibit hormone treatments in the region. Legally, the paper must be supplied under the legal statute.

Demanded Health Information

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

The information were requested before the explanation would be released.

The email, which has been seen by the media, also asked them to verify if your teen is a patient of the Queensland Children’s Gender Clinic so that we can confirm the data submitted with the health service,” reads the communication, which was sent last Friday.

Parents Label Demand as Invasion of Privacy

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

One parent said she was hesitant to divulge the details because the authorities had mistakenly forwarded her data to a different parent.

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

Case of the Mother

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

Earlier, the department sent a reply intended for her to someone else, disclosing her identity and address – and the fact that she had a trans teen – to a stranger. She said a government employee later apologised over the phone; the media has seen an message from the agency admitting the error.

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

“My daughter is incredibly private. She is deeply afraid of being exposed in any public space. She dislikes anyone to know that she’s transgender,” Louise said.

“I honor that to my core as much as humanly possible. The sole occasion I ever share is out of need for obtaining entry to services and exclusively to people I deem incredibly safe and I trust completely.”

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

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

Additional Mother Voices Worries

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

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

“To imagine that that information could accidentally be leaked one day, in any way, you know, although that was accidental, could be deeply, deeply distressing to them.”

She wrote back saying the agency had requested an “excessive level of detail”.

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

“It’s such intensely private information. You would not reveal, for instance, your medical condition to the government office, you know. You’d be very reluctant and very cautious to submit any of that information to a group of officials, basically.”

Legal Service Considering Second Lawsuit

The advocacy organization, which represented the mother in her challenge, was evaluating a new legal action, it said last week.

Its president, Ren Shike, said the ruling had affected about hundreds of minors and their relatives and it was “important to promptly enable the supply of reasons so that children and their parents can comprehend the reasoning behind this ruling, which has had such a severe effect on their access to healthcare”.

Government Position on Prohibition

The authorities has consistently said the ban would stay enforced until a examination into trans healthcare had been completed.