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The Queensland government released confidential information about the mother of a transgender teenager – information she claims potentially exposed her child – to a stranger.

Allegations of “Bullying” and “Privacy Violation”

The revelation came as the government was accused of “intimidation” and “an invasion of privacy” after requesting private health records from parents of transgender children who are considering a additional legal challenge to its disputed prohibition on hormone blockers.

Recent Government Directive on Hormone Treatments

Last month, the Queensland health minister, Tim Nicholls, issued a new order banning the prescription of puberty blockers for transgender patients, shortly after the state’s supreme court determined the initial ban was illegal.

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

Requested Medical Details

Each were required by the health authorities for particulars of their child’s medical history, including “your child’s name, their date of birth and any supporting documents which confirms your teen having a clinical diagnosis of gender dysphoria”.

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

The email, which has been reviewed 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 verify the information provided with the health service,” states the communication, which was dispatched last Friday.

Parents Describe Request as Breach of Confidentiality

Each parent characterized the request as an violation of confidentiality.

A mother said she was hesitant to share the details because the state government had mistakenly sent her data to a another individual.

“It seems like having to ‘out’ your child to obtain a reply; like, it’s terrifying,” she said.

Situation of the Mother

The parent, who cannot be legally identified because it would also reveal or “out” her child, was among those who requested a statement of reasons on multiple occasions.

In May, the agency emailed a reply intended for her to someone else, disclosing her identity and location – and the fact that she had a transgender child – to a stranger. She said a department official later apologised by telephone; the media has seen an email from the department admitting the mistake.

She said she felt “sick and unsafe” as a consequence of the blunder.

“My daughter is incredibly private. She is deeply afraid of being outed in any social setting. She doesn’t like people to be aware that she’s trans,” Louise said.

“I honor that to my core as much as possible. The only time I ever share is out of necessity for obtaining entry to services and only to people I consider trustworthy and I trust completely.”

Louise was particularly concerned about the suggestion it would be “verified” by the hospital.

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

Additional Parent Voices Concerns

Another mother said she was unwilling revealing the health background of her seven-year-old non-binary child.

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

“To imagine that that data could accidentally be disclosed someday, in any manner, you know, although that was unintentional, could be deeply, deeply distressing to them.”

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

“I wouldn’t provide that information to another entity that requested it, particularly in the context of the present environment,” she said.

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

Legal Service Weighing Second Lawsuit

The LGBTI Legal Service, which represented the parent in her challenge, was considering a second lawsuit, it said recently.

The head, Ren Shike, said the ruling had affected about 500 Queensland children and their families and it was “important to promptly enable the supply of reasons so that children and their parents can understand 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 remain in place until a review into trans healthcare had been completed.