"I have been with my partner for 22 years. I am the proud mother of three children, aged 16, 11 and 5," Sharpe said. "My partner of 22 years, and the other mother of my children is a woman."

"As politics and my personal life collided today, what became clear is that in the eyes of some, I am not normal and my children are not normal."

"It is time for this to stop. I am normal. My kids are normal. Being gay or lesbian or bisexual or transgender or intersex is normal. It is called being a human being. Aspiring to have a family is normal. Creating LGBTI families is normal."

"The profound truth of parenting and the great diversity of families is that in every family, no matter what its structure, every parent is doing their best, but none of us are perfect."