Dr. Maya Angelou speaks explicitly about her experience with the stigma and shame of being a sex worker/former sex worker.
“I had a very rough time at 18… and I went on a national show and a woman did the interview who I knew slightly [she smiles softly here and raises her eyebrows] and she said “Maya Angelou! How does it feel to know you’re the first Black woman to have a national bestseller non fiction, your second book nominated for the Pulitzer, and to know that at 18 you were a prostitute?”
And it was like a kick in the stomach! However, there is this: You must always be careful who you call out. [She smiles very broadly here and nods to emphasise the word “careful”] When she said that, I said, “Ahhh but there are many ways to prostitute one’s self and you would know about that, wouldn’t you dear?”
Whereupon they went to break, [The interviewer laughs heartily] Yes, whereupon her co-host came and concluded the interview.”
Idol
(Source: https://www.youtube.com/)