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The state government disclosed private information about the mother of a trans teenager – information she says potentially exposed her teen – to a unknown individual.

Accusations of “Bullying” and “Privacy Violation”

The disclosure emerged as the government was accused of “intimidation” and “an invasion of privacy” after demanding private medical information from guardians of trans youth who are contemplating a further legal challenge to its controversial prohibition on hormone blockers.

Recent Government Order on Puberty Blockers

Recently, the state health minister, Tim Nicholls, issued a fresh directive banning the prescription of hormone blockers for trans individuals, shortly after the high court ruled the initial ban was illegal.

Guardian Australia has interviewed several parents who have contacted Nicholls for a official paper called a statement of reasons – a detailed account of why the government decided to prohibit hormone treatments in the region. Legally, the paper must be provided under the legal statute.

Demanded Health Information

All four were asked by the health authorities for particulars of their teen’s health background, including “your child’s name, their date of birth and any supporting documents which supports your teen 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 media, also asked them to “please also confirm if your child is a client of the youth gender service so that we can confirm the information provided with the health service,” reads the email, which was sent recently.

Parents Label Request as Invasion of Privacy

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

One parent said she was reluctant to divulge the details because the state government had accidentally sent her information to a different parent.

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

Case of the Mother

Louise*, who cannot be legally identified because it would also reveal or “out” her teen, was among those who requested a statement of reasons on multiple occasions.

Earlier, the agency sent a reply meant for her to someone else, revealing her identity and location – and the detail that she had a transgender child – to a stranger. She said a government employee later apologised by telephone; the media has obtained an email from the department admitting the error.

She said she felt “sick and unsafe” as a consequence of the blunder.

“My daughter is very reserved. She is deeply afraid of being outed in any social setting. She doesn’t like anyone to be aware that she’s trans,” the mother said.

“I respect that to my very being as much as possible. The sole occasion I ever, ever disclose is out of necessity for gaining access to supports and exclusively to people I consider incredibly safe and I know well.”

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

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

Additional Mother Voices Concerns

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

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

“To think that that information could accidentally be leaked someday, in any way, you know, even if that was unintentional, could be deeply, deeply distressing to them.”

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

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

“It’s such intensely private information. You would not reveal, for instance, your HIV status to the minister’s office, you know. You’d be very reluctant and careful to submit such details to a bunch of bureaucrats, basically.”

Legal Service Weighing Second Lawsuit

The LGBTI Legal Service, which assisted the parent in her case, was considering 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 provision of reasons so that children and their parents can understand the reasoning behind this decision, which has had such a severe effect on their medical care”.

Government Stance on Ban

The authorities has repeatedly said the prohibition would remain in place until a review into trans healthcare had been completed.