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The state government disclosed private details about the parent of a trans teenager – data she says potentially exposed her teen – to a stranger.

Accusations of “Intimidation” and “Invasion of Privacy”

The disclosure came as the state government was accused of “coercion” and “an invasion of privacy” after demanding private medical information from guardians of transgender children who are contemplating a additional legal challenge to its disputed ban on puberty blockers.

Recent Government Directive on Hormone Treatments

Recently, the state health official, Tim Nicholls, issued a fresh directive banning the use of hormone blockers for trans individuals, just hours after the state’s supreme court ruled the government’s first attempt was unlawful.

Guardian Australia has spoken to four mothers who have approached Nicholls for a official paper called a explanation of decision – a formal explanation of why the government made a decision to prohibit hormone treatments in the region. Legally, the document must be supplied under the state’s Judicial Review Act.

Demanded Medical Details

All four were asked by the Queensland health department for details of their teen’s health background, including the minor’s identity, their date of birth and any other evidence which confirms your teen having a clinical diagnosis of gender identity disorder”.

The details were requested before the explanation would be provided.

The message, which has been reviewed by the media, also instructed them to “please also confirm if your teen is a client of the Queensland Children’s Gender Clinic so that we can verify the information provided with the health service,” states the email, which was sent recently.

Parents Describe Request as Breach of Confidentiality

All four mothers characterized the request as an invasion of privacy.

One parent said she was hesitant to share the information because the state government had accidentally sent 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 must remain anonymous because it would also reveal or expose her child, was one of several who requested a explanation on multiple occasions.

In May, the agency emailed a response intended for her to someone else, revealing her name and address – and the detail that she had a transgender child – to a stranger. She said a government employee later said sorry over the phone; the media has obtained an email from the department admitting the error.

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

“My child is incredibly private. She is immensely fearful of being outed in any social setting. She doesn’t like anyone to know that she’s transgender,” Louise said.

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

Louise was particularly concerned about the implication it would be “confirmed” by the medical facility.

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

Additional Mother Expresses Worries

Sally* said she was not comfortable disclosing the medical history of her seven-year-old gender-diverse child.

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

“To think that that data could accidentally be leaked someday, in any manner, you know, even if that was unintentional, could be deeply, deeply distressing to him.”

She wrote back saying the agency had asked for 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 highly confidential stuff. You wouldn’t disclose, for example, your HIV status to the government office, you know. You’d be very reluctant and careful to provide such details to a bunch of bureaucrats, essentially.”

Legal Service Considering Second Lawsuit

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

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

Authorities Position on Prohibition

The government has consistently said the ban would remain in place until a examination into gender-affirming care had been completed.