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The Queensland government released confidential details about the mother of a trans teenager – data she says potentially “outed” her child – to a stranger.

Accusations 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 transgender children who are considering a further court case to its disputed ban on hormone blockers.

Latest Official Order on Puberty Blockers

Recently, the state health official, Tim Nicholls, enacted a fresh directive prohibiting the use of hormone blockers for trans individuals, shortly after the state’s supreme court determined the initial ban was illegal.

Guardian Australia has interviewed four mothers who have contacted Nicholls for a official paper called a statement of reasons – a formal explanation of why the government made a decision to prohibit puberty blockers in the region. Legally, the paper must be provided under the legal statute.

Requested Medical Details

Each were required by the health authorities for details of their child’s medical history, including the minor’s identity, their date of birth and any supporting documents which supports your child having a clinical diagnosis of gender identity disorder”.

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

The message, which has been seen by the media, also asked them to verify if your teen is a patient of the youth gender service so that we can confirm the data submitted with Children’s Health Queensland,” reads the email, which was dispatched recently.

Parents Describe Demand as Breach of Confidentiality

Each parent described the demand as an violation of confidentiality.

A mother said she was reluctant to share the details because the authorities had mistakenly forwarded her data to a another individual.

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

Case of Louise*

The parent, who cannot be legally identified because it would also reveal or expose her child, was among those who asked for a explanation on multiple occasions.

In May, the agency emailed a reply intended for her to another parent, revealing her name and location – and the detail that she had a trans teen – to a stranger. She said a department official later said sorry by telephone; the media has obtained an message from the agency admitting the error.

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

“My daughter is incredibly private. She is deeply afraid of being exposed in any social setting. She dislikes anyone to be aware that she’s transgender,” the mother 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 supports and exclusively to individuals I deem incredibly safe and I trust completely.”

Louise was especially worried about the implication it would be “verified” by the hospital.

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

Other Parent Voices Concerns

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

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

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

She responded saying the department had asked for an “excessive level of detail”.

“I would not share that information to another entity that asked for it, especially in the context of the present environment,” she said.

“It’s such intensely private information. You wouldn’t disclose, for example, your HIV status to the minister’s office, you know. You’d be hesitant and very cautious to submit such details to a bunch of bureaucrats, essentially.”

Advocacy Group Considering Second Lawsuit

The LGBTI Legal Service, which assisted the mother in her case, was evaluating a second lawsuit, it said last week.

Its president, Ren Shike, said the ruling had affected about hundreds of minors and their families and it was “important to promptly enable the supply of explanations so that children and their parents can comprehend the reasoning behind this decision, which has had such a devastating impact on their medical care”.

Government Position on Ban

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