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The state government released confidential information about the parent of a transgender teenager – data she claims potentially exposed 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 confidential health records from parents of trans youth who are contemplating a further legal challenge to its disputed ban on hormone blockers.

Latest Government Order on Puberty Blockers

Recently, the state health official, Tim Nicholls, enacted a new order banning the prescription of hormone blockers for trans individuals, just hours after the high court ruled the government’s first attempt was illegal.

Guardian Australia has interviewed several parents who have contacted Nicholls for a official paper called a statement of reasons – a formal explanation of why the authorities made a decision to prohibit puberty blockers in the region. Legally, the paper must be supplied under the legal statute.

Requested Health Information

All four were required by the Queensland health department for details of their teen’s health background, including the minor’s identity, their date of birth and any other evidence which supports your child having a clinical diagnosis of gender identity disorder”.

The details were requested before the explanation would be provided.

The message, which has been seen by the Guardian, also asked them to verify if your child is a patient of the Queensland Children’s Gender Clinic so that we can confirm the information provided with Children’s Health Queensland,” reads the email, which was dispatched recently.

Mothers Label Demand as Invasion of Privacy

Each parent characterized 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 seems like having to ‘out’ your child to obtain a response; like, it’s terrifying,” she said.

Case of the Mother

The parent, who must remain anonymous because it would also reveal or “out” her child, was among those who asked for a statement of reasons both times.

In May, the agency emailed a reply meant for her to someone else, disclosing her name and location – and the detail that she had a transgender child – to a stranger. She said a government employee later said sorry by telephone; the Guardian has obtained an email from the department confirming the error.

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

“My daughter is incredibly private. She is deeply afraid of being outed in any public space. She dislikes people to know that she’s trans,” the mother said.

“I honor that to my very being as much as humanly possible. The sole occasion I ever, ever disclose is out of need for obtaining entry to supports and only to people I consider incredibly safe and I know well.”

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

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

Other Parent Expresses Worries

Sally* said she was unwilling revealing the health background of her young non-binary child.

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

“To think that that data could inadvertently be leaked one day, in any way, you know, even if that was accidental, could be extremely upsetting to him.”

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

“I wouldn’t provide that data to any other organisation that asked for it, particularly in the climate of the present environment,” she said.

“It’s such highly confidential information. You wouldn’t disclose, 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 assisted the mother in her challenge, was evaluating a second lawsuit, it said last week.

Its president, Ren Shike, said the decision had impacted about hundreds of minors and their families and it was crucial to promptly enable the provision of reasons 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 Prohibition

The authorities has repeatedly said the ban would stay enforced until a examination into gender-affirming care had been finished.