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The Queensland government disclosed private details about the mother of a transgender teenager – data she claims potentially exposed her teen – to a unknown individual.

Accusations of “Bullying” and “Privacy Violation”

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

Latest Government Order on Hormone Treatments

Last month, the state health official, Tim Nicholls, enacted a new order prohibiting the prescription of hormone blockers for trans individuals, shortly after the high court determined the government’s first attempt was illegal.

Media has spoken to four mothers who have approached Nicholls for a legal document called a explanation of decision – a formal explanation of why the authorities decided to prohibit hormone treatments in the state. By law, the document must be supplied under the state’s Judicial Review Act.

Requested Health Information

Each were asked by the health authorities for details of their child’s medical history, including “your child’s name, their birthdate and any supporting documents which supports your teen having a clinical diagnosis of gender identity disorder”.

The details were requested before the explanation would be released.

The email, which has been reviewed by the Guardian, also instructed them to “please also confirm if your teen is a patient of the youth gender service so that we can verify the information submitted with Children’s Health Queensland,” states the communication, which was sent last Friday.

Mothers Label Demand as Invasion of Privacy

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

A mother said she was hesitant to divulge the information because the authorities had accidentally forwarded her data to a another individual.

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

Situation of the Mother

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

Earlier, the agency sent a response meant for her to someone else, revealing 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 media has obtained an message from the department admitting the error.

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

“My child is very reserved. She is immensely fearful of being exposed in any public space. She doesn’t like people to know that she’s trans,” Louise said.

“I respect that to my core as much as possible. The sole occasion I ever, ever share is out of necessity for gaining access to supports and only to individuals I deem trustworthy and I trust completely.”

The parent was especially worried about the suggestion it would be “verified” by the hospital.

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

Additional Mother Voices Concerns

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

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

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

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

“I would not share that information to any other organisation that requested it, particularly in the context of the current political climate,” she said.

“It’s such highly confidential information. You wouldn’t disclose, for example, your medical condition to the minister’s office, you know. You’d be hesitant and careful to submit such details to a bunch of bureaucrats, essentially.”

Advocacy Group Considering Second Lawsuit

The advocacy organization, which assisted the parent in her case, was considering a second lawsuit, it said recently.

Its president, Ren Shike, said the ruling had affected about hundreds of minors and their relatives and it was crucial to promptly enable the supply of explanations so that minors and their parents can understand the logic behind this ruling, which has had such a devastating impact on their medical care”.

Authorities Stance on Ban

The government has consistently said the prohibition would stay enforced until a review into trans healthcare had been finished.