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

Accusations of “Intimidation” and “Privacy Violation”

The disclosure emerged as the state government was accused of “coercion” and “an invasion of privacy” after demanding private health records from guardians of trans youth who are considering a further court case to its controversial prohibition on hormone blockers.

Latest Official Order on Hormone Treatments

Last month, the state health minister, Tim Nicholls, issued a fresh directive prohibiting the use of puberty blockers for transgender patients, just hours after the high court determined the initial ban was illegal.

Media has spoken to four mothers who have approached Nicholls for a legal document called a statement of reasons – a formal explanation of why the government made a decision to prohibit puberty blockers in the state. By law, the document must be supplied under the legal statute.

Demanded Health Information

Each were required by the health authorities for details of their child’s medical history, including “your child’s name, their date of birth and any supporting documents which confirms your child having a clinical diagnosis of gender dysphoria”.

The information were sought before the explanation would be released.

The email, which has been seen by the media, also instructed them to “please also confirm if your child is a client of the youth gender service so that we can verify the data submitted with the health service,” states the communication, which was sent last Friday.

Parents Describe Demand as Invasion of Privacy

Each parent described the request as an invasion of privacy.

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

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

Case of Louise*

The parent, who must remain anonymous because it would also reveal or expose her teen, was one of several who requested a explanation on multiple occasions.

Earlier, the agency sent a reply meant for her to someone else, revealing her identity and location – and the fact that she had a transgender child – to a third party. She said a department official later apologised over the phone; the media has seen an email from the agency admitting the error.

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

“My daughter is incredibly private. She is immensely fearful of being exposed in any public space. She dislikes anyone to know that she’s trans,” Louise said.

“I respect that to my very being as much as possible. The sole occasion I ever, ever share is out of need for obtaining entry to supports and only to people I deem incredibly safe and I trust completely.”

The parent was particularly concerned about the suggestion it would be “confirmed” by the hospital.

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

Additional Mother Voices Concerns

Another mother said she was unwilling disclosing the health background of her seven-year-old gender-diverse child.

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

“To think that that data could inadvertently be leaked someday, in any manner, you know, although that was unintentional, could be deeply, deeply distressing to him.”

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

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

“It’s such highly confidential information. You wouldn’t disclose, for example, your medical condition to the minister’s office, you know. You’d be very reluctant and careful to provide such details to a bunch of bureaucrats, essentially.”

Advocacy Group Weighing Second Lawsuit

The LGBTI Legal Service, which represented the parent in her case, was considering a second lawsuit, it said last week.

The head, Ren Shike, said the ruling had impacted about hundreds of minors and their relatives and it was crucial to promptly enable the supply of explanations so that minors and their guardians can understand the logic behind this ruling, which has had such a severe effect on their medical care”.

Government Position on Prohibition

The government has repeatedly said the prohibition would remain in place until a review into trans healthcare had been completed.