'I didn't marry my wife knowing I was gay. It cost me my job'

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

To the outside world, Reverend Andrew Fitchet had a perfect life. Working as a minister of the church and serving his community as a councillor, he owned a house where he lived with his wife, baby son, and their Labrador.

But something was missing for Revd Andy. He later realised he identified as gay. The 32-year-old came out to his supportive wife, but despite losing his job because of his sexuality, he says he would do it all over again in a heartbeat as he is happier than ever. “My life before looked idyllic,” Revd Andy told the Manchester Evening News. “It was a happy marriage in many ways, but there was something which wasn’t right - something wasn’t clicking and things just weren't as you hoped they would be.” READ MORE: Manchester Pride 2022 line-up announced, with Melanie C, Nadine Coyle and Bimini The couple married when he was 22 and his wife was 19.

They met at an evangelical church, where it was encouraged they were to marry young. “We felt good about it at the time but I didn’t really know who I was at that age,” Andy explained. “I didn’t marry knowing I was gay at all.” It wasn’t until three years later in 2015, just before their baby son was born, that he came to realise his sexuality.

He had sought professional help from a counsellor over his worry about becoming a father. His dad wasn’t in the picture, and neither was his dad, so he wanted to break the cycle.