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The Queensland government disclosed private details about the mother of a trans teenager – data she claims potentially “outed” her teen – to a stranger.

Allegations of “Bullying” and “Invasion of Privacy”

The revelation emerged as the state government was charged of “intimidation” and “a breach of confidentiality” after requesting private medical information from parents of trans youth who are contemplating a further legal challenge to its controversial prohibition on puberty blockers.

Recent Government Directive on Hormone Treatments

Recently, the state health official, Tim Nicholls, issued a fresh directive prohibiting the prescription of puberty blockers for trans individuals, shortly after the high court determined the initial ban was illegal.

Guardian Australia has interviewed four mothers who have contacted Nicholls for a official paper called a statement of reasons – a detailed account of why the government made a decision to prohibit puberty blockers in the state. Legally, the document must be supplied under the legal statute.

Requested Health Information

All four were required by the health authorities for particulars of their teen’s health background, including “your child’s name, their date of birth and any other evidence which confirms your teen having a clinical diagnosis of gender dysphoria”.

The information were requested before the explanation would be provided.

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

Parents Label Request as Invasion of Privacy

All four mothers characterized the demand as an violation of confidentiality.

One parent said she was hesitant to share the information because the authorities had accidentally sent her information to a different parent.

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

Situation of the Mother

The parent, who cannot be legally identified because it would also reveal or expose her child, was among those who requested a explanation both times.

In May, the department emailed a response intended for her to another parent, disclosing her identity and location – and the fact that she had a transgender child – to a stranger. She said a department official later apologised by telephone; the Guardian has obtained an email from the department confirming the error.

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

“My daughter is incredibly private. She is deeply afraid of being exposed in any social setting. She dislikes people to know that she’s trans,” the mother said.

“I respect that to my core as much as humanly possible. The only time I ever, ever share is out of need for obtaining entry to supports and only to individuals I consider incredibly safe and I know well.”

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

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

Other Mother Expresses Worries

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

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

“To imagine that that data could inadvertently be disclosed someday, in any way, you know, although that was accidental, could be deeply, deeply distressing to him.”

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

“I would not share that data to another entity that asked for it, particularly in the climate of the present environment,” she said.

“It’s such highly confidential information. You wouldn’t disclose, for example, your HIV status to the minister’s office, you know. You’d be hesitant and very cautious to provide such details to a bunch of bureaucrats, basically.”

Advocacy Group Considering Further Action

The LGBTI Legal Service, which assisted the mother in her case, was evaluating a second lawsuit, it said last week.

Its president, Ren Shike, said the decision had impacted about hundreds of minors and their families and it was “important to promptly enable the provision of reasons so that children and their parents can comprehend the logic behind this ruling, which has had such a devastating impact on their medical care”.

Government Stance on Ban

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