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

Accusations of “Bullying” and “Invasion of Privacy”

The disclosure emerged as the government was charged of “coercion” and “an invasion of privacy” after requesting private medical information from guardians of trans youth who are considering a further court case to its controversial ban on puberty blockers.

Recent Government Order on Puberty Blockers

Recently, the Queensland health official, Tim Nicholls, enacted a new order prohibiting the use of hormone blockers for transgender patients, shortly after the high court determined the initial ban was illegal.

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 decided to ban hormone treatments in the region. Legally, the document must be supplied under the legal statute.

Requested Medical Details

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

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

The email, which has been reviewed by the media, also asked them to “please also confirm if your child is a client of the Queensland Children’s Gender Clinic so that we can confirm the data submitted with Children’s Health Queensland,” states the email, which was dispatched last Friday.

Parents Label Demand as Invasion of Privacy

Each parent characterized the demand as an violation of confidentiality.

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

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

Case of Louise*

Louise*, who must remain anonymous because it would also reveal or expose her teen, was among those who requested a statement of reasons both times.

Earlier, the department emailed a reply intended for her to someone else, revealing her identity and address – and the detail that she had a trans teen – to a third party. She said a government employee later apologised over the phone; the media has seen an email from the department admitting the error.

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

“My child is incredibly private. She is immensely fearful of being exposed in any social setting. She dislikes people to know that she’s transgender,” the mother said.

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

The parent was especially worried about the implication it would be “verified” by the medical facility.

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

Additional Parent Voices Concerns

Sally* said she was not comfortable disclosing the health background of her young gender-diverse child.

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

“To think that that information could inadvertently be disclosed one day, in any manner, you know, even if that was accidental, could be deeply, deeply distressing to them.”

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

“I would not share that information to another entity that requested it, especially in the context of the current political climate,” she said.

“It’s such highly confidential information. You would not reveal, for instance, your HIV status to the minister’s office, you know. You’d be hesitant and very cautious 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 case, was evaluating a new legal action, it said recently.

The head, Ren Shike, said the ruling had affected about 500 Queensland children and their families and it was crucial to promptly enable the supply of reasons so that minors and their parents can comprehend the reasoning behind this ruling, which has had such a severe effect on their medical care”.

Government Position on Ban

The government has consistently said the ban would remain in place until a review into gender-affirming care had been finished.