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The state government disclosed confidential details about the parent of a transgender teenager – data she says potentially exposed her child – to a stranger.

Allegations of “Intimidation” and “Invasion of Privacy”

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

Latest Government Order on Puberty Blockers

Last month, the state health official, Tim Nicholls, issued a fresh directive prohibiting the use of hormone blockers for transgender patients, shortly after the state’s supreme court determined the initial ban was unlawful.

Media has spoken to several parents who have approached Nicholls for a legal document called a statement of reasons – a detailed account of why the government made a decision to prohibit hormone treatments in the region. By law, the paper must be supplied under the legal statute.

Requested Health Information

All four were asked by the health authorities for details of their child’s medical history, including “your child’s name, their birthdate and any other evidence which supports your child having a medical confirmation of gender dysphoria”.

The information were sought before the explanation would be released.

The message, which has been seen by the Guardian, also asked them to verify if your teen is a client of the Queensland Children’s Gender Clinic so that we can confirm the data provided with the health service,” reads the communication, which was sent recently.

Parents Describe Demand as Breach of Confidentiality

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

One parent said she was reluctant to share the details because the authorities had accidentally forwarded her data to a different parent.

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

Situation of Louise*

The parent, who must remain anonymous because it would also identify or expose her child, was among those who asked for a explanation on multiple occasions.

Earlier, the department sent a reply meant for her to someone else, disclosing her identity and location – and the detail that she had a trans teen – to a stranger. She said a department official later said sorry over the phone; the media has seen an message from the agency admitting the mistake.

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

“My daughter is very reserved. She is immensely fearful of being outed in any public space. She dislikes people to be aware that she’s trans,” the mother said.

“I respect that to my very being as much as possible. The sole occasion I ever, ever share is out of necessity for obtaining entry to supports and exclusively to people I consider trustworthy and I trust completely.”

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

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

Other Parent Voices Worries

Sally* said she was not comfortable disclosing the health background of her seven-year-old non-binary child.

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

“To imagine that that information could inadvertently be leaked one day, in any way, you know, even if that was unintentional, could be extremely upsetting to him.”

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

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

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

Legal Service Weighing Second Lawsuit

The advocacy organization, which represented the parent in her case, was considering a new legal action, it said recently.

The head, Ren Shike, said the ruling had affected about hundreds of minors and their families and it was “important to efficiently facilitate 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”.

Authorities Stance on Ban

The authorities has consistently said the ban would stay enforced until a examination into gender-affirming care had been finished.