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

Accusations of “Intimidation” and “Privacy Violation”

The revelation emerged as the government was accused of “coercion” and “a breach of confidentiality” after requesting private medical information from guardians of trans youth who are contemplating a additional court case to its controversial prohibition on puberty blockers.

Latest Official Order on Hormone Treatments

Recently, the Queensland health minister, Tim Nicholls, enacted a fresh directive banning the use of puberty blockers for transgender patients, shortly after the state’s supreme court determined the government’s first attempt was unlawful.

Guardian Australia has interviewed four mothers who have contacted Nicholls for a legal document called a statement of reasons – a detailed account of why the government decided to prohibit hormone treatments in the state. By law, the paper must be supplied under the legal statute.

Requested Health Information

Each were required by the health authorities for particulars of their teen’s health background, including the minor’s identity, their birthdate and any other evidence which supports your teen having a clinical diagnosis of gender dysphoria”.

The details were requested before the explanation would be released.

The message, which has been seen by the media, also instructed them to “please also confirm if your child is a client of the Queensland Children’s Gender Clinic so that we can verify the data provided with the health service,” reads the communication, which was dispatched last Friday.

Parents Describe Demand as Breach of Confidentiality

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

One parent said she was reluctant to share the information because the authorities had mistakenly forwarded her data to a another individual.

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

Case of the Mother

The parent, who cannot be legally identified because it would also identify or “out” her teen, was among those who requested a statement of reasons both times.

In May, the agency emailed a response intended for her to another parent, revealing her name and address – and the fact that she had a trans teen – to a stranger. She said a government employee later apologised over the phone; the Guardian has obtained an message from the department confirming the error.

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

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

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

The parent was particularly concerned about the suggestion it would be “confirmed” by the hospital.

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

Additional Mother Voices Worries

Sally* said she was not comfortable revealing the medical history of her young non-binary child.

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

“To imagine that that information could accidentally be leaked someday, in any manner, you know, even if that was unintentional, could be extremely upsetting to them.”

She responded saying the agency had asked for an “extraordinary amount of information”.

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

“It’s such intensely private information. You would not reveal, for example, your medical condition to the minister’s office, you know. You’d be very reluctant and very cautious to submit any of that information to a group of officials, essentially.”

Legal Service Weighing Second Lawsuit

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

Its president, Ren Shike, said the ruling had impacted about hundreds of minors and their families and it was crucial to efficiently facilitate the provision of explanations so that children and their guardians can comprehend the reasoning behind this ruling, which has had such a severe effect on their access to healthcare”.

Government Stance on Prohibition

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