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The state government released private details about the mother of a transgender teenager – information she claims potentially exposed her teen – to a stranger.

Allegations of “Bullying” and “Privacy Violation”

The revelation emerged as the state government was accused of “coercion” and “an invasion of privacy” after requesting confidential health records from guardians of trans youth who are contemplating a further court case to its disputed ban on puberty blockers.

Recent Government Directive on Hormone Treatments

Last month, the state health official, Tim Nicholls, issued a new order prohibiting the prescription of puberty blockers for transgender patients, shortly after the state’s supreme court determined the initial ban was unlawful.

Media has spoken to four mothers who have approached Nicholls for a official paper called a explanation of decision – a detailed account 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.

Demanded Medical Details

All four were asked by the Queensland health department for particulars of their teen’s health background, including the minor’s identity, their date of birth and any supporting documents which confirms your teen having a clinical diagnosis of gender identity disorder”.

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

The email, which has been seen by the Guardian, also asked them to verify if your teen is a client of the youth gender service so that we can verify the data provided with the health service,” reads the email, which was sent 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 divulge the information because the state government had mistakenly sent her information to a another individual.

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

Situation of Louise*

Louise*, who cannot be legally identified because it would also identify or “out” her child, was one of several who requested a explanation both times.

In May, the agency emailed a response meant for her to someone else, disclosing her name and address – and the detail that she had a transgender child – to a stranger. She said a department official later said sorry by telephone; the Guardian has seen an message from the agency admitting the mistake.

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

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

“I honor that to my very being as much as possible. The only time I ever, ever disclose is out of necessity for gaining access to services and only to people I deem incredibly safe and I trust completely.”

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

She said the demand was “threatening” and “seems coercive”.

Additional Parent Voices Worries

Another mother said she was unwilling disclosing the medical history of her young non-binary child.

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

“To imagine that that information could accidentally be disclosed someday, in any manner, you know, although that was accidental, could be extremely upsetting to them.”

She responded saying the department had asked for an “excessive level of detail”.

“I wouldn’t provide that data to another entity that asked for it, especially in the context of the present environment,” she said.

“It’s such highly confidential stuff. You would not reveal, for example, your HIV status to the government office, you know. You’d be very reluctant and very cautious to provide any of that information to a bunch of bureaucrats, essentially.”

Advocacy Group Weighing Second Lawsuit

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

Its president, Ren Shike, said the decision had impacted about 500 Queensland children and their families and it was crucial to efficiently facilitate the provision of explanations so that children and their guardians can comprehend the reasoning behind this decision, which has had such a severe effect on their access to healthcare”.

Government Position on Ban

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