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The state government disclosed confidential information about the parent of a transgender teenager – information she says potentially exposed her child – to a unknown individual.

Accusations of “Intimidation” and “Privacy Violation”

The disclosure came as the state government was charged of “coercion” and “an invasion of privacy” after requesting private health records from guardians of trans youth who are considering a further legal challenge to its controversial ban on hormone blockers.

Latest Official Directive on Hormone Treatments

Last month, the state health official, Tim Nicholls, issued a new order prohibiting the prescription of hormone blockers for transgender patients, shortly after the high court determined the initial ban was illegal.

Media has interviewed several parents who have approached Nicholls for a official paper called a explanation of decision – a detailed account of why the authorities made a decision to ban puberty blockers in the state. Legally, the document must be supplied under the state’s Judicial Review Act.

Requested Health Information

All four were required by the Queensland health department for details of their child’s medical history, including the minor’s identity, their date of birth and any supporting documents which confirms your child having a clinical diagnosis of gender dysphoria”.

The information were sought before the explanation would be released.

The email, which has been reviewed by the media, also instructed them to verify if your teen is a patient of the Queensland Children’s Gender Clinic so that we can verify the data submitted with Children’s Health Queensland,” states the communication, which was sent recently.

Parents Describe Demand as Breach of Confidentiality

Each parent described the demand as an invasion of privacy.

A mother said she was reluctant to share the information because the authorities had mistakenly forwarded her information to a different parent.

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

Situation of the Mother

The parent, who must remain anonymous because it would also identify or “out” her child, was among those who requested a statement of reasons on multiple occasions.

Earlier, the agency sent a reply meant for her to someone else, disclosing her name and address – and the detail that she had a trans teen – to a third party. She said a government employee later apologised by telephone; the Guardian has seen an email from the agency confirming the error.

She said she felt “ill and vulnerable” as a result of the blunder.

“My daughter is incredibly private. She is immensely fearful of being outed in any social setting. She doesn’t like people to know that she’s trans,” the mother said.

“I honor that to my core as much as possible. The sole occasion I ever disclose is out of necessity for obtaining entry to services and only to individuals I consider incredibly safe and I trust completely.”

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

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

Other Mother Expresses Concerns

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

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

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

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

“I would not share that data to any other organisation that asked for it, particularly in the climate of the current political climate,” she said.

“It’s such highly confidential information. You would not reveal, for example, your medical condition to the government office, you know. You’d be hesitant and careful to provide such details to a group of officials, essentially.”

Advocacy Group Considering Further Action

The LGBTI Legal Service, which assisted the mother in her challenge, was evaluating a new legal action, it said last week.

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 reasons so that minors and their guardians can understand the reasoning behind this decision, which has had such a severe effect on their medical care”.

Authorities Position on Ban

The government has repeatedly said the ban would stay enforced until a review into gender-affirming care had been finished.