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The state government disclosed confidential details about the mother of a transgender teenager – data she says potentially “outed” her teen – to a stranger.

Allegations of “Bullying” and “Invasion of Privacy”

The disclosure emerged as the government was accused of “coercion” and “an invasion of privacy” after demanding private medical information from parents of transgender children who are considering a further court case to its disputed ban on puberty blockers.

Latest Official Directive on Hormone Treatments

Last month, the Queensland health official, Tim Nicholls, enacted a fresh directive prohibiting the prescription of hormone blockers for transgender patients, just hours after the high court determined the government’s first attempt was unlawful.

Media has interviewed four mothers who have contacted Nicholls for a legal document called a statement of reasons – a formal explanation of why the authorities decided to ban puberty blockers in the region. By law, the paper must be provided under the legal statute.

Demanded Medical Details

All four were required by the health authorities for details of their teen’s health background, including “your child’s name, their birthdate and any other evidence which confirms your teen having a medical confirmation of gender dysphoria”.

The information were requested before the statement of reasons would be provided.

The email, which has been seen by the Guardian, also asked them to “please also confirm if your child is a patient of the youth gender service so that we can verify the information provided with the health service,” reads the email, which was dispatched recently.

Parents Label Request as Breach of Confidentiality

All four mothers described the demand as an invasion of privacy.

One parent said she was reluctant to divulge the details because the authorities had mistakenly sent her information to a different parent.

“It feels like having to reveal your child to actually get a reply; like, it’s frightening,” she said.

Case of Louise*

The parent, who must remain anonymous because it would also reveal or expose her teen, was among those who requested a statement of reasons on multiple occasions.

Earlier, the department emailed a reply intended for her to another parent, disclosing her name and address – 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 obtained an email from the department admitting the mistake.

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

“My daughter is incredibly private. She is deeply afraid of being outed in any public space. She dislikes people to be aware that she’s trans,” the mother said.

“I honor that to my very being as much as humanly possible. The only time I ever, ever disclose is out of necessity for obtaining entry to services and only to individuals I consider trustworthy and I trust completely.”

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

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

Other Mother Voices Worries

Sally* said she was unwilling revealing the medical history of her young gender-diverse child.

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

“To imagine that that data could accidentally be disclosed someday, in any manner, you know, even if that was accidental, could be extremely upsetting to him.”

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

“I would not share that data to any other organisation that requested it, especially in the context of the present environment,” she said.

“It’s such highly confidential stuff. You wouldn’t disclose, for example, your HIV status to the government office, you know. You’d be hesitant and very cautious to provide any of that information to a group of officials, basically.”

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 decision had impacted about 500 Queensland children and their families and it was crucial to efficiently facilitate the provision of explanations so that minors and their guardians can comprehend the logic behind this ruling, which has had such a devastating impact on their access to healthcare”.

Government Position on Prohibition

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