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To be honest, I agree with the notion that even if you change the word you use from prostitute to sex worker, that the word will have negative connotations simply because people don't like people who sell sex outright.
For instance, (and I only bring this up as an example) to many, homosexual is a proper term for people who are attracted to the opposite sex. Where I live, people often use this word in the same context as they would 'queer', in a derogatory fashion. It's not just about the definition of words, it's also the intent. A proper term can be used in a derogatory fashion, and if we keep labeling words as 'slurs' because people use them as insults, we'd have a lot more unacceptable words in the dictionary.
In other countries, words can have completely different connotation and meanings. I'm going to assume the OP lives in the U.S., in which case, 'sex worker' is still going to be seen negatively until we can shed the social stigma that comes with it. The stigma follows the job, the definition of the word, not the word itself.
That being said, I do believe that the stigma needs to be changed, and to make it legalized because, let's face it, 'sex sells'. We're selling it in our commercials, using attractive people to market campaigns, etc. It would make it much safer for men and women in the profession. People shouldn't be shunned because they're a stripper/pornstar/etc. Do I think words need to be changed? No, because it's not changing the underlying problem.
For instance, (and I only bring this up as an example) to many, homosexual is a proper term for people who are attracted to the opposite sex. Where I live, people often use this word in the same context as they would 'queer', in a derogatory fashion. It's not just about the definition of words, it's also the intent. A proper term can be used in a derogatory fashion, and if we keep labeling words as 'slurs' because people use them as insults, we'd have a lot more unacceptable words in the dictionary.
In other countries, words can have completely different connotation and meanings. I'm going to assume the OP lives in the U.S., in which case, 'sex worker' is still going to be seen negatively until we can shed the social stigma that comes with it. The stigma follows the job, the definition of the word, not the word itself.
That being said, I do believe that the stigma needs to be changed, and to make it legalized because, let's face it, 'sex sells'. We're selling it in our commercials, using attractive people to market campaigns, etc. It would make it much safer for men and women in the profession. People shouldn't be shunned because they're a stripper/pornstar/etc. Do I think words need to be changed? No, because it's not changing the underlying problem.