‘I love Justine for the person she is – not the man, or the woman’
Cameron, left; and Justine and Julie together. It’s beautiful. Julie and I went to Glasgow. She tricked me into thinking we were going for a swim in the hotel pool before throwing bridal lingerie at me and saying: ‘come on, we’re going wedding dress shopping.’” She adds: “I have just bought my ring. I still have the first one because it was blessed in church, but it is too chunky and masculine to wear. And we still have to set the date but we want this event to be better than the last one.”
Julie breaks into laughter when Justine reveals: “Last time we had our reception at home in Cruden Bay and made our own sandwiches!”
The no- nonsense, straight talking former development manager says: “I love Justine for the person she is – not the man, or the woman. I have watched her blossom and grow in confidence from the day she trusted me with the truth about herself.”
Julie, who has now chosen to be a full- time homemaker, knows some people doubted their relationship would survive the turmoil they have endured. But she says proudly: “We are as strong a family as ever, we have always loved each other, and go on loving each other more with each passing day.
“Four years ago, when everything seemed disastrous, we would never have thought we would be where we are now.”
Neither had spoken publicly of the remarkable journey that saw their 26- year relationship change dramatically – that is until they shared their story with The Sunday Post in 2013.
Brave Justine revealed how she had known from early childhood that she was at her core female, but hid her true self for fear of being ostracised by family, friends and society.
The marine electronics engineer began working in the male- dominated fishing industry alongside some of the UK’s toughest trawlermen and married Julie with whom she now has three grandchildren Harmony, six, Harrison, four, and baby Ellie, nine months.
But despite loving her wife she knew she was living a lie. It took her a year to find the courage to tell her the truth.
Justine – who thought she would lose her family with the revelation – remembers: “I could not have gone on without telling Julie who I really was. I didn’t want to be with