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The state government disclosed confidential details about the parent of a transgender teenager – information she says potentially exposed her child – to a unknown individual.

Allegations of “Intimidation” and “Privacy Violation”

The disclosure emerged as the government was accused of “intimidation” and “a breach of confidentiality” after demanding private medical information from parents of transgender children who are contemplating a additional legal challenge to its disputed prohibition on hormone blockers.

Recent Official Directive on Hormone Treatments

Recently, the Queensland health official, Tim Nicholls, issued a new order banning the use of hormone blockers for transgender patients, just hours after the high court ruled 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 authorities made a decision to ban hormone treatments in the state. Legally, the paper must be supplied under the legal statute.

Requested Medical Details

Each were asked by the health authorities for particulars of their teen’s health background, including “your child’s name, their birthdate and any supporting documents which supports your teen having a clinical diagnosis of gender dysphoria”.

The information were sought before the explanation would be released.

The email, which has been reviewed by the Guardian, also asked them to “please also confirm if your child is a patient of the Queensland Children’s Gender Clinic so that we can verify the data provided with the health service,” states the email, which was sent recently.

Parents Describe Demand as Breach of Confidentiality

All four mothers described the request as an violation of confidentiality.

One parent said she was reluctant to divulge the information because the authorities had accidentally forwarded her data to a another individual.

“It feels like having to reveal your child to actually get a reply; like, it’s frightening,” she said.

Situation of the Mother

Louise*, who must remain anonymous because it would also reveal or “out” her child, was one of several who requested a statement of reasons on multiple occasions.

Earlier, the agency emailed a reply intended for her to someone else, revealing her name and location – and the detail that she had a trans teen – to a stranger. She said a government employee later apologised over the phone; the Guardian has obtained an message from the agency confirming the mistake.

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

“My daughter is very reserved. She is immensely fearful of being outed in any social setting. She doesn’t like people to be aware that she’s trans,” Louise said.

“I honor that to my very being as much as humanly possible. The sole occasion I ever disclose is out of need for gaining access to supports and only to individuals I consider trustworthy and I know well.”

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

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

Additional Parent Expresses Worries

Sally* said she was unwilling disclosing the health background of her seven-year-old non-binary child.

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

“To imagine that that data could accidentally be leaked someday, in any manner, you know, even if that was accidental, could be deeply, deeply distressing to them.”

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

“I would not share that data to any other organisation that asked for it, especially in the context of the present environment,” she said.

“It’s such intensely private stuff. You would not reveal, for example, your medical condition to the minister’s office, you know. You’d be hesitant and careful to submit any of that information to a group of officials, basically.”

Legal Service Weighing Second Lawsuit

The advocacy organization, which assisted the parent in her challenge, was evaluating a new legal action, it said recently.

Its president, Ren Shike, said the ruling had affected about 500 Queensland children and their families and it was “important to efficiently facilitate the provision of reasons so that children and their guardians can understand the reasoning behind this decision, which has had such a severe effect on their medical care”.

Authorities Stance on Ban

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