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The state government disclosed private information about the parent of a trans teenager – data she claims potentially exposed her teen – to a stranger.

Allegations of “Bullying” and “Privacy Violation”

The revelation came as the government was accused of “coercion” and “an invasion of privacy” after requesting confidential medical information from parents of transgender children who are contemplating a further court case to its disputed ban on hormone blockers.

Latest Official Order on Puberty Blockers

Last month, the Queensland health minister, Tim Nicholls, enacted a fresh directive banning the prescription of hormone blockers for trans individuals, just hours after the state’s supreme court determined the government’s first attempt was unlawful.

Guardian Australia has interviewed several parents who have contacted Nicholls for a official paper called a statement of reasons – a formal explanation of why the government made a decision to ban hormone treatments in the state. By law, the paper must be provided under the state’s Judicial Review Act.

Requested Health Information

Each were required by the Queensland health department for particulars of their teen’s health background, including “your child’s name, their birthdate and any other evidence which supports your child having a clinical diagnosis of gender identity disorder”.

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

The email, which has been reviewed by the media, also asked them to “please also confirm if your child is a patient of the youth gender service so that we can confirm the data provided with Children’s Health Queensland,” states the communication, which was dispatched last Friday.

Mothers Describe Demand as Breach of Confidentiality

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

One parent said she was reluctant to share the details because the state government had accidentally forwarded her data to a another individual.

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

Situation of the Mother

The parent, who must remain anonymous because it would also identify or “out” her teen, was among those who asked for a statement of reasons both times.

Earlier, the department emailed a response intended for her to another parent, disclosing her identity and location – and the detail that she had a trans teen – to a third party. She said a government employee later apologised by telephone; the Guardian has obtained an email from the department admitting the error.

She said she felt “ill and vulnerable” as a result of the error.

“My daughter is very reserved. She is deeply afraid of being exposed in any public space. 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 sole occasion I ever, ever share is out of need for gaining access to services and only to people I deem incredibly safe and I know well.”

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

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

Additional Parent Expresses Worries

Another mother said she was unwilling disclosing 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 information could accidentally be leaked one day, in any way, you know, even if that was accidental, could be deeply, deeply distressing to him.”

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

“I would not share that information to any other organisation that asked for 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 medical condition to the minister’s office, you know. You’d be hesitant and very cautious to provide any of that information to a bunch of bureaucrats, basically.”

Legal Service Considering Further Action

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

The head, Ren Shike, said the ruling had impacted about 500 Queensland children and their relatives and it was “important to efficiently facilitate the provision of reasons so that children and their guardians can understand the reasoning behind this decision, which has had such a devastating impact on their medical care”.

Government Stance on Prohibition

The government has consistently said the ban would remain in place until a examination into gender-affirming care had been finished.