So while getting my makeover at Vanity Wilde's in Houston, we were talking about CDing. Vanity has been doing CD makeovers for 15 years so she's talked to a lot of CDs. She also provides lockers for CDs who can't change at home, more often than not, indicating an unknowing or unaccepting SO.
She complimented gigi10 for being so supportive and mentioned a reason why it is important, which I'd never thought of, but is completely true. Many CDs without an accepting SO are tempted to put themselves in dangerous situations. e.g. Alone in a seedy motel with other CDs they know nothing about. Here, anything can happen from mugging, robbery, rape, STDs from consensual sex, protected or not. This is obviously not where an SO wants her partner.
I can testify to the veracity of her statements. I put myself into those situations during my first marriage. I'm not going to go into details but I'll just say I was lucky nothing terribly bad happened, but bad things did happen to me, more than once, including a mild STD and blackmail.
Since my current SO knows about my CDing and supports me completely, I have no need nor desire to get into those dangerous situations.
Just something for SOs to consider.