Andi Halliley, 55, from Durham
Scribbling my name down, I felt proud.
‘Welcome to the Army,’ the recruiter smiled, reaching out to shake my hand.
It was 1985 and at just 17 years old, I’d always had a keen interest in the Military.
Both my grandfathers had served during WWII, one in the Royal Artillery and the other in the RAF.
It wasn’t long before I was enlisted into the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, an infantry regiment and my parents were so proud.
Joining the Army must have been the most masculine path I could have taken – but while I was excited about my future, I was also hiding a secret, denying who I really was…
During the day, I’d be wearing combats and camouflage, but deep inside, I really wanted to be wearing silky tops, flowing skirts, jewellery and makeup, too.
I’d known I was different ever since I was a
