Transformative sex workers

I would argue that a film about sex workers can indeed be transformative, but of course it largely depends on the script and the character development. Like bell hooks says we learn from movies, and so a film can educate us about the plights and everyday struggles of women who try to make a living by stripping or being a prostitute. In that way, when the script allows the character enough room to show a certain depth in character, the audience might be able to identify with her and her struggle. Take for example the Ice Cube-directed film The Player's Club. The main character in that film starts working as a stripper at a nightclub, but it is shown that she needs the money to pay for her college education and cannot find another job. A lot of students also have trouble to come up with the money for their tuition, and people always have problems with paying their bills, so the audience might be able to understand her motivation. In that way, the character turns from an object to a subject. But it totally depends on the script and the filmmaker's intention.