Parent of Trans Teen Accuses State Government of Data Leak That Could Have Revealed Her Child

The state government released confidential information about the mother of a transgender teenager – information she says potentially “outed” her teen – to a unknown individual.

Accusations of “Bullying” and “Privacy Violation”

The revelation emerged as the government was accused of “coercion” and “an invasion of privacy” after demanding private medical information from guardians of transgender children who are contemplating a additional legal challenge to its disputed prohibition on puberty blockers.

Latest Government Order on Puberty Blockers

Last month, the state health official, Tim Nicholls, issued a new order prohibiting the use of puberty blockers for transgender patients, just hours after the high court ruled the government’s first attempt was illegal.

Media has interviewed four mothers who have contacted Nicholls for a legal document called a explanation of decision – a formal explanation of why the authorities decided to ban hormone treatments in the region. By law, the paper must be provided under the legal statute.

Requested Medical Details

Each were asked by the Queensland health department for details of their teen’s health background, including the minor’s identity, their date of birth and any other evidence which confirms your child having a clinical diagnosis of gender dysphoria”.

The details were requested before the explanation would be released.

The message, which has been seen by the Guardian, also asked them to verify if your teen is a client of the youth gender service so that we can confirm the data provided with the health service,” reads the email, which was sent last Friday.

Parents Describe Demand as Breach of Confidentiality

Each parent characterized the request as an violation of confidentiality.

A mother said she was reluctant to share the details because the state government had mistakenly forwarded her data to a different parent.

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

Case of Louise*

The parent, 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 sent a reply intended for her to another parent, disclosing her name and address – and the detail that she had a transgender child – to a third party. She said a government employee later apologised over the phone; the media has seen an message from the department confirming the error.

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

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

“I honor that to my very being as much as possible. The sole occasion I ever disclose is out of need for gaining access to services and only to people I consider incredibly safe and I know well.”

The parent was particularly concerned about the implication it would be “confirmed” by the medical facility.

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

Additional Mother Voices Concerns

Sally* said she was not comfortable revealing the medical history of her young gender-diverse child.

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

“To imagine that that information could accidentally be disclosed someday, 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 would not share that data to another entity that asked for it, particularly in the climate of the current political climate,” she said.

“It’s such intensely private stuff. You would not reveal, for example, your medical condition to the minister’s office, you know. You’d be very reluctant and very cautious to submit such details to a bunch of bureaucrats, basically.”

Advocacy Group Weighing Second Lawsuit

The advocacy organization, which represented the mother in her challenge, was evaluating a new legal action, it said last week.

Its president, Ren Shike, said the decision had affected about 500 Queensland children and their families and it was “important to promptly enable the supply of explanations so that children and their parents can understand the logic behind this decision, 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 trans healthcare had been completed.