Congratulations Kim, I'm very happy for you!
You mention the process of overcoming barriers. I'd like to mention another, and this is working for yourself as opposed to being an employee (or being independently wealthy and not having to work at all
). My SO does go out in public and has done so for years now, several times per week. But, she does not go out in her neighborhood. She will not chance jeopardizing her job. Thankfully, she is happy to have found a way to have both worlds: expressing herself at will, and not compromising the other aspects of her life.
Another barrier to overcome (if a person is not willing to go out in the next town over) might be to change Church affiliations if the family is in a conservative Church. Or perhaps move from a small, intolerant town, to an urban area where there are accepting people. Also, the children's ages form a barrier that might be difficult to remove if they are school age.
I don't mean to put a downer on your post, just want to point out that it is easier for a CDer to express herself publicly if she is self-employed with no small children at home, and she is not involved with conservative friends and Church members.
Having said this, if a person is TS then even the smallest compromise is intolerable and there is no choice but to remove all the barriers.