When Joey Cookman-McAuley was a young girl she knew she wanted to grow up one day and have children of her own.
"When I discovered as a teenager that I was gay, I thought all my dreams were over because I had been taught by society that gay people can't have kids," she told a rally for marriage equality in Perth on Sunday.
"I spent a long time - six years - hating myself and praying that it would somehow all go away."
Ms Cookman-McAuley said she nearly married a man, despite only feeling friendship for him, before eventually falling in love with a woman and having two children with her.
The couple, who are engaged, now face a battle to be married and have their family recognised in Australia.
Ms Cookman-McAuley was just one of several speakers at the rally in Perth's CBD, where about 500 people, including young families, dressed in rainbow colours and costumes, gathered.
It was one of several events held around Australia at the weekend calling for marriage equality.
Last month, about 9000 people gathered in Perth to show their support for same-sex marriage.
A bill sponsored by members of the federal coalition and Labor is due to be introduced in parliament on Tuesday.
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