Parent of Transgender Teen Alleges Queensland Government of Privacy Breach That Could Have Revealed Her Child

The Queensland government released confidential details about the mother of a transgender teenager – data she says potentially exposed her child – to a stranger.

Allegations of “Bullying” and “Privacy Violation”

The disclosure came as the government was accused of “intimidation” and “a breach of confidentiality” after demanding confidential medical information from guardians of transgender children who are considering a additional court case to its disputed ban on puberty blockers.

Latest Official Directive on Puberty Blockers

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

Media has spoken to several parents who have contacted Nicholls for a official paper called a statement of reasons – a detailed account of why the government decided to ban puberty blockers in the region. Legally, the document must be provided under the legal statute.

Demanded Medical Details

All four were required by the Queensland health department for details of their teen’s health background, including “your child’s name, their birthdate and any other evidence which supports your child having a medical confirmation of gender dysphoria”.

The details were sought before the explanation would be provided.

The email, which has been seen by the Guardian, also instructed them to “please also confirm if your teen is a patient of the youth gender service so that we can verify the data provided with the health service,” reads the communication, which was dispatched recently.

Mothers Label Request as Invasion of Privacy

Each parent described the demand as an invasion of privacy.

One parent said she was reluctant to share the information because the state government had mistakenly forwarded her data to a different parent.

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

Case of Louise*

The parent, who must remain anonymous because it would also identify or expose her teen, was one of several who asked for a explanation both times.

In May, the agency emailed a response intended for her to someone else, disclosing her identity and address – and the detail that she had a trans teen – to a stranger. She said a department official later apologised by telephone; the Guardian has obtained an message from the agency confirming the error.

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

“My child is very reserved. She is deeply afraid of being exposed in any social setting. She dislikes anyone to know that she’s trans,” the mother said.

“I respect that to my core as much as humanly possible. The sole occasion I ever disclose is out of necessity for gaining access to services and exclusively to people I deem incredibly safe and I trust completely.”

The parent was especially worried about the implication it would be “confirmed” by the hospital.

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

Other Parent Voices Worries

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

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

“To think that that information could accidentally be disclosed someday, in any manner, you know, although that was unintentional, could be extremely upsetting to him.”

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

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

“It’s such highly confidential information. You would not reveal, for example, your medical condition to the minister’s office, you know. You’d be hesitant and careful to provide such details to a group of officials, essentially.”

Advocacy Group Weighing Second Lawsuit

The LGBTI Legal Service, which assisted the parent in her challenge, was considering a second lawsuit, it said recently.

The head, Ren Shike, said the decision had impacted about 500 Queensland children and their relatives and it was “important to promptly enable the provision of explanations so that minors and their parents can understand the reasoning behind this decision, which has had such a devastating impact on their medical care”.

Government Stance on Prohibition

The government has consistently said the ban would remain in place until a examination into trans healthcare had been completed.