🔗 Share this article

The state government released confidential details about the parent of a trans teenager – information she claims potentially “outed” her child – to a stranger.

Accusations of “Bullying” and “Invasion of Privacy”

The disclosure emerged as the state government was accused of “intimidation” and “an invasion of privacy” after requesting confidential health records from parents of trans youth who are contemplating a additional court case to its controversial prohibition on hormone blockers.

Latest Government Order on Hormone Treatments

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

Guardian Australia has spoken to four mothers who have contacted Nicholls for a legal document called a explanation of decision – a formal explanation of why the authorities decided to prohibit hormone treatments in the state. By law, the document must be supplied under the legal statute.

Demanded Health Information

All four were asked by the Queensland health department for details of their child’s medical history, including the minor’s identity, their birthdate and any supporting documents which confirms your teen having a clinical diagnosis of gender identity disorder”.

The information were sought before the explanation would be released.

The email, which has been reviewed by the Guardian, also instructed them to verify if your teen is a client of the Queensland Children’s Gender Clinic so that we can verify the information provided with Children’s Health Queensland,” states the email, which was sent last Friday.

Mothers Label Request as Breach of Confidentiality

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

A mother said she was reluctant to share the details because the authorities had mistakenly forwarded her data to a another individual.

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

Situation of Louise*

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

Earlier, the department emailed a reply intended for her to another parent, disclosing her identity and location – and the detail that she had a transgender child – to a third party. She said a department official later said sorry over the phone; the Guardian has seen an email from the department confirming the mistake.

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

“My child is incredibly private. She is deeply afraid of being exposed in any public space. She doesn’t like anyone to be aware that she’s transgender,” the mother said.

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

Louise was especially worried about the suggestion it would be “confirmed” by the medical facility.

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

Other Mother Expresses Concerns

Another mother said she was unwilling disclosing the health background of her seven-year-old gender-diverse child.

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

“To think that that data could inadvertently be leaked one day, in any manner, you know, although that was unintentional, could be deeply, deeply distressing to him.”

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

“I wouldn’t provide that information to any other organisation that requested it, particularly in the climate of the current political climate,” she said.

“It’s such intensely private information. You wouldn’t disclose, for example, your medical condition to the government office, you know. You’d be very reluctant and careful to submit such details to a group of officials, essentially.”

Advocacy Group Considering Further Action

The LGBTI Legal Service, which represented the mother in her case, was evaluating a second lawsuit, it said last week.

The head, Ren Shike, said the ruling had impacted about 500 Queensland children and their relatives and it was crucial to efficiently facilitate the supply of explanations so that children and their guardians can understand the logic behind this decision, which has had such a devastating impact on their access to healthcare”.

Government Position on Prohibition

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