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

Allegations of “Intimidation” and “Invasion of Privacy”

The disclosure came as the state government was charged of “coercion” and “an invasion of privacy” after requesting private medical information from parents of transgender children who are considering a additional legal challenge to its controversial prohibition on hormone blockers.

Latest Official Directive on Hormone Treatments

Recently, the state health official, Tim Nicholls, enacted a new order banning the use of hormone blockers for transgender patients, just hours after the state’s supreme court ruled the initial ban was unlawful.

Media has interviewed four mothers who have contacted Nicholls for a official paper called a explanation of decision – a detailed account of why the authorities decided to ban puberty blockers in the region. Legally, the document must be provided under the state’s Judicial Review Act.

Requested Health Information

All four were required by the Queensland health department for details of their child’s medical history, including the minor’s identity, their birthdate and any other evidence which supports your child having a medical confirmation of gender identity disorder”.

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

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

Mothers Label Request as Invasion of Privacy

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

One parent said she was hesitant to divulge the details because the authorities had accidentally sent her information to a another individual.

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

Situation of Louise*

The parent, who must remain anonymous because it would also reveal or “out” her teen, was one of several who asked for a explanation both times.

In May, the department sent a response meant for her to someone else, disclosing her identity and address – and the fact that she had a trans teen – to a stranger. She said a government employee later apologised over the phone; the Guardian has seen an email from the department confirming the mistake.

She said she felt “sick and unsafe” as a result of the error.

“My daughter is very reserved. She is deeply afraid of being exposed in any social setting. She dislikes people to know that she’s trans,” Louise said.

“I honor that to my core as much as possible. The sole occasion I ever disclose is out of necessity for gaining access to services and exclusively to people I deem incredibly safe and I trust completely.”

The parent was particularly concerned about the implication it would be “confirmed” by the medical facility.

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

Additional Parent Voices Concerns

Another mother said she was unwilling disclosing the medical history of her seven-year-old non-binary 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 manner, you know, even if that was unintentional, could be deeply, deeply distressing to him.”

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

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

“It’s such intensely private information. You would not reveal, for example, your HIV status to the government office, you know. You’d be very reluctant and careful to provide any of that information to a group of officials, essentially.”

Advocacy Group Weighing Further Action

The LGBTI Legal Service, which assisted the parent in her challenge, was evaluating a new legal action, it said last week.

Its president, Ren Shike, said the ruling had affected about hundreds of minors and their relatives and it was “important to promptly enable the supply of explanations so that children and their guardians can comprehend the logic behind this ruling, which has had such a severe effect on their access to healthcare”.

Authorities Position on Prohibition

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