My story is my journey of coming out as a lesbian woman. Because I believe “love is never wrong”.

My mum tells me that when she knew she was expecting me she unwittingly bought blue baby clothes. She did not know what my gender would be, as it was not an option to find out in 1961. My bedroom has been blue ever since. I was a proper tomboy, loving sport – especially football – and watching westerns.

When I was about 13 years old I began to develop crushes on my history teacher and other girls in my class. I was at an all-girls school. I loved history and was reading books about Edith Cavell, Florence Nightingale and Mary Queen of Scots. My friends were all reading Jackie magazine and trying to figure out if their sign was compatible with a boy they liked. I just didn’t get what the fuss was about.

When I was 18 years old, I went to polytechnic. I met Susan and we immediately connected. We liked the same music, shared the same sense of humour and enjoyed drinking – a lot! It was a very deep and intense friendship, which for me became something more. We both decided to leave at the end of the year; Susan to do nurse training, and me, volunteer nursing two severely disabled students. Susan gave me a Snoopy toy before she left. When someone asks, “What would you rescue if your house was on fire?”, well, it’s not rocket science to guess what would be on my list.

When I saw Susan get on the bus to leave for the last time, I started sobbing uncontrollably, and I headed full pelt into a deep depression. I can even admit that I contemplated suicide. I was truly heartbroken.

I met my husband Simon two years later. Simon and I got on so well. He was a kind, sensitive, intelligent and gentle man. I asked Susan to be my chief bridesmaid. I hadn’t seen her since that last departure, and when she arrived, the night before the wedding, I felt a rush of excitement. But I quenched the fire I felt in my heart – and never spoke about it.

I lived with Simon for ten years, but still had attraction to other women. When I was 29 years old, I began working with a probation officer, who admitted to me that she was bisexual. This sounded so much safer to me! We began an affair that lasted nearly a year. When it ended, I knew that I had to leave Simon. He wanted to start a family, and I knew that I could not make that commitment to him. I finally had the courage to be true to myself, and told him my predicament. He was devastated and tried everything to make me stay. Simon found support from a group called Pastels, which was for friends, family and partners of LGBT people.

When I told my father, he said “I’ve watched that programme on Channel 4 about lesbians, but I can’t work out what you do without a penis”. He was cool about the whole thing. In fact he relished being the only man in my life. When I told my mother she cried and then blubbered out, “As long as you are happy”.

I’m now in my late fifties and have had three long term relationships with women.What advice would I give to my 18 year old self? Take a chance and have courage. Be true to yourself. Be authentic. It is your right to be able to express yourself.

You deserve happiness.