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The Queensland government released private details about the parent of a trans teenager – data she says potentially “outed” her child – to a unknown individual.

Allegations of “Bullying” and “Privacy Violation”

The disclosure came as the government was accused of “intimidation” and “an invasion of privacy” after requesting confidential health records from guardians of trans youth who are considering a further legal challenge to its disputed ban on puberty blockers.

Latest Government Directive on Puberty Blockers

Last month, the Queensland health official, Tim Nicholls, enacted a fresh directive prohibiting the use of hormone blockers for transgender patients, shortly after the state’s supreme court ruled the government’s first attempt was illegal.

Guardian Australia has spoken to several parents who have approached Nicholls for a official paper called a explanation of decision – a detailed account of why the government decided to ban puberty blockers in the state. Legally, the document must be provided under the state’s Judicial Review Act.

Requested Medical Details

Each were required by the Queensland health department for details of their teen’s health background, including “your child’s name, their birthdate and any other evidence which supports your child having a medical confirmation of gender dysphoria”.

The details were requested before the statement of reasons would be released.

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

Parents Label Request as Breach of Confidentiality

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

One parent said she was reluctant to share the information because the state government 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.

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 asked for a explanation on multiple occasions.

Earlier, the department sent a response meant for her to another parent, revealing her name and address – and the detail that she had a trans teen – to a third party. She said a department official later said sorry by telephone; the media has obtained an email from the agency confirming the mistake.

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

“My child is incredibly private. She is immensely fearful of being exposed in any social setting. She doesn’t like people to be aware that she’s transgender,” Louise said.

“I respect that to my very being as much as humanly possible. The only time I ever, ever disclose is out of necessity for obtaining entry to supports and only to people I consider 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 “seems coercive”.

Other Mother Voices Worries

Sally* said she was unwilling revealing the health background of her seven-year-old gender-diverse child.

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

“To think that that information could inadvertently be disclosed one day, in any way, you know, although that was accidental, could be deeply, deeply distressing to them.”

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

“I would not share that data to another entity that requested it, particularly in the climate of the current political climate,” she said.

“It’s such intensely private information. You would not reveal, for instance, your HIV status to the government office, you know. You’d be very reluctant and very cautious to submit such details to a bunch of bureaucrats, basically.”

Legal Service Weighing Second Lawsuit

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

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

Authorities Position on Prohibition

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