🔗 Share this article

The Queensland government released confidential information about the mother of a trans teenager – information she says potentially “outed” 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 “a breach of confidentiality” after requesting private medical information from parents of trans youth who are considering a further legal challenge to its controversial prohibition on puberty blockers.

Recent Official Order on Hormone Treatments

Recently, the state health official, Tim Nicholls, enacted a fresh directive prohibiting the prescription of puberty blockers for trans individuals, shortly after the high court determined the government’s first attempt was illegal.

Guardian Australia has interviewed several parents who have contacted Nicholls for a legal document called a statement of reasons – a formal explanation of why the authorities made a decision to prohibit puberty blockers in the state. By law, the document must be provided under the state’s Judicial Review Act.

Requested Medical Details

Each were asked by the Queensland health department for particulars of their teen’s health background, including the minor’s identity, their date of birth and any supporting documents which confirms your teen having a medical confirmation of gender dysphoria”.

The details were requested before the explanation would be provided.

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 information submitted with Children’s Health Queensland,” reads the communication, which was dispatched last Friday.

Mothers Label Demand as Invasion of Privacy

Each parent described the demand as an invasion of privacy.

A mother said she was reluctant to share the details because the state government had accidentally forwarded her information to a another individual.

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

Situation of the Mother

Louise*, who cannot be legally identified because it would also reveal or “out” her child, was among those who requested a statement of reasons both times.

Earlier, the agency sent a reply intended for her to another parent, disclosing her name and location – and the fact that she had a transgender child – to a stranger. She said a government employee later apologised over the phone; the Guardian has obtained an message from the agency admitting the mistake.

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

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

“I respect that to my very being as much as possible. The sole occasion I ever, ever share is out of necessity for gaining access to services and only to people I deem 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 “intimidating” and “seems coercive”.

Other Mother Voices Worries

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

“It’s not my data, it’s a child’s details,” 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 him.”

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

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

“It’s such intensely private information. You wouldn’t disclose, for instance, your HIV status to the minister’s office, you know. You’d be very reluctant and very cautious to submit such details to a group of officials, essentially.”

Advocacy Group Weighing Second Lawsuit

The LGBTI Legal Service, which represented the parent in her case, was considering 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 provision of explanations so that children and their guardians can understand the reasoning behind this decision, which has had such a devastating impact on their access to healthcare”.

Authorities Stance on Prohibition

The authorities has repeatedly said the ban would remain in place until a examination into gender-affirming care had been completed.