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The state government released confidential details about the mother of a trans teenager – data she claims potentially exposed her teen – to a stranger.

Allegations of “Intimidation” and “Invasion of Privacy”

The revelation came as the government was charged of “coercion” and “a breach of confidentiality” after requesting private health records from guardians of transgender children who are contemplating a further legal challenge to its controversial prohibition on hormone blockers.

Latest Government Order on Hormone Treatments

Recently, the Queensland health minister, Tim Nicholls, enacted a fresh directive prohibiting the prescription of hormone blockers for trans individuals, shortly after the high court ruled the government’s first attempt was unlawful.

Media has interviewed several parents who have contacted Nicholls for a legal document called a statement of reasons – a formal explanation of why the government made a decision to ban puberty blockers in the region. By law, the paper must be supplied under the state’s Judicial Review Act.

Demanded Health Information

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

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

The message, which has been reviewed by the Guardian, also asked them to “please also confirm 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 email, which was dispatched 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 divulge the information because the state government had accidentally forwarded her information to a different parent.

“It feels like having to ‘out’ your teen to actually get 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 teen, was among those who requested a explanation both times.

Earlier, the agency emailed a response intended for her to someone else, disclosing her identity and address – and the detail that she had a trans teen – to a stranger. She said a government employee later apologised by telephone; the media has seen an message from the agency admitting the mistake.

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

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

“I respect that to my very being as much as humanly possible. The sole occasion I ever, ever disclose is out of necessity for obtaining entry to services and exclusively to individuals I consider incredibly safe and I know well.”

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

She said the request was “intimidating” and “seems coercive”.

Additional Mother Expresses Worries

Another mother said she was unwilling revealing the medical history of her young gender-diverse child.

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

“To think that that information could inadvertently be disclosed someday, 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 wouldn’t provide that information to any other organisation that requested it, especially in the climate of the present environment,” she said.

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

Advocacy Group Weighing Further Action

The LGBTI Legal Service, which assisted the parent in her challenge, was considering a second lawsuit, it said recently.

The head, Ren Shike, said the ruling had affected about hundreds of minors and their families and it was “important to efficiently facilitate the supply of reasons so that children and their guardians can comprehend the logic behind this ruling, which has had such a devastating impact on their access to healthcare”.

Authorities Position on Ban

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