I suspect this has something to do with gender roles, where a man who is forced by poverty to unwanted work is a hero while a woman doing the same is a victim.

I suspect this has something to do with gender roles, where a man who is forced by poverty to unwanted work is a hero while a woman doing the same is a victim. We lionize coal miners somewhat because they literally power our world at great risk to themselves. It was built upon their backs. I'm sure one could argue prostitution serves a role in society, but coal and coal miners played a tremendous role in building the modern world as you know it. It's not just "heroism of taking unwanted work".