"My GP said there was no such thing as a transsexual, just someone who couldn't get a girlfriend"

One, the rainbow flag, is a symbol of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender pride, first flew by activists in America.

The other runs from blue, the traditional colour for baby boys, to pink, the regular colour for baby girls, to white, to pink and back to blue.

White? It represents those who are transitioning to the gender they identify with.

The flags were hoisted at Sellafield to raise awareness of the struggles faced by the transgender community. Standing out is their purpose.

But, in the long run, standing out isn't the purpose - it is to be seamlessly accepted for who they are.

Two Sellafield employees, and one member of the supply chain, were heavily involved in organising the site's marking of International Transgender Day of Visibility.

Operations support technician Nicole Cowles, 63, Balfour Beatty's quality director for major projects Amanda McKay, 53, and Andi Rutherford, 59, who works in safety support, all know the fear, abuse and discrimination trans people are subject to.

"Personally, I don't want people to have to go through what I went through," said Andi, from Whitehaven. At 59, I'm late to transitioning because I was terrified of being bullied.

Andi Rutherford "I spent a lot of time in work with my mind not on the job, hiding away. I hope by being more visible other people can be more open.

"Family members might have children going through it, so at least they have got somewhere to go to."

Andi knew she was different in childhood but faced years of torment before finally going ahead with transitioning.

"At about seven-year-old, you start thinking you are slightly different," she said. "The first time I went to see anyone was at 18 and my GP said there was no such thing as a transsexual, just someone who couldn't get a girlfriend.

"I used to hear conversations at work about trans people, everyone was taking the mickey and you're having to go through it.

Now, she has found her work environment to be accepting.

"I had someone who wouldn't shake hands with me," she said. "But on the whole most people are fine, women seem to be superb and accepting. If they've got any questions then we'll explain.

"I've had some weird questions, you don't want to stop it but I've had to take people to one side."

Questions are welcome on Transgender Day of Visibility as the spotlight falls on the trans community and the issues it faces. By being visible, they hope to show others they don't need to suffer in silence.

Amanda McKay Amanda, from Glasgow, said: "It is raising awareness of a seemingly invisible community, and creating role models so people think if other people have done it I can.

"I first had thoughts about it at about the age of seven. I looked to transition in my 20s but saw the hell that people went through.

"I tried to fight it and do male oriented things, I was a TA officer and a special constable. When I moved to Glasgow I realised there was a whole community of trans people.

"I finished in August 2013 as a chief officer and was outed through LinkedIn when I changed my profile - I had 700 connections."

For Amanda, transitioning originally sparked fears for her career.

"I moved jobs a few years ago and a few employers were outright transphobic, regardless of my CV," she said. "It was my worst nightmare come true, I thought it was the end of my career progression.

"With previous employers I hit a glass ceiling, I ended up mentoring people in jobs I'd applied for. Another trans person was sent home under transphobic circumstances just two weeks before I was coming out, they had to put on trans awareness training.

"But Balfour Beatty didn't even mention it until after giving me a contract, and that was to ask if there was anything they could do to help."

Dealing with negativity has become a part of their lives, which is why highlighting issues on an international day of recognition is so important to them.

But there is also hope, particularly, as Amanda explained, among children.

She said: "My parents still use my old name, particularly on the phone. It is incredibly difficult to alter your voice, no matter how much voice therapy you have.

"My greatest advocate is my 11-year-old niece, she was told uncle Martin is now Amanda and said OK! She's really, really good."

A common feeling among the three is a sense of relief at finally being who they are.

"I'm happier now that I've transitioned, Sellafield accepted me and I'm a better person at work," said Nicole, from Silecroft. "We're a million miles from where we were, one person was hounded out during transition about 15 years ago.

Nicole Cowles "I work in a large, open plan office and I was quite fearful but it turned out OK. My close circle is fantastic, although one guy just blanked me.

"I try to use humour as much as I can to deal with issues, but someone accosted me in a car park recently and when I replied they said 'are you a transvestite?' I said what's it got to do with you. I’ve reported it."

Nicole's story came to a head when she found herself in hospital. "I laid the foundations for transitioning on September 9, 2015 but I realised at an early age that something wasn't right," she explained.

"I was so unhappy, I couldn't see how I could get through. In 2011, I was ill in hospital and I decided no more playing about, the building blocks started then.

"In America they are trying to stop it but we should encourage younger people to go for it. You're born like that."

And dealing with her transitioning was aided when she received the support of her darts-playing friends.

"I used to run a darts league, as Nigel, and the night before I transitioned I told them at a meeting and they told me they still wanted me to run it," she said.

"It was a vote of confidence. I'm getting out and about and hoping people can see what I'm doing."

Sellafield, and its supply chain, have supported the trio, and will continue to do so in the future, in the hope of benefitting the wider community.

Standing out was the aim on International Transgender Day of Visibility, but, as more people begin to understand the transgender community, the need for demonstrating its plight will hopefully be eradicated.

As Nicole said: "Hopefully one day it won't be a highlighted topic, it will just be the norm. When I was 16 if I'd seen people like us I would have come out."