Unfortunately there is still a bad general public opinion, unless of course you are lucky enough to write a fabulous book series and earn a fortune!
Also, I think the media view Belle de Jour favourably (as opposed to Chloe x factor, for example), because she is a highly educated young woman and was always studying alongside her work with a view to a career once her phd was finished (so I hear).
Do you think she would have gotten the same treatment had she been an uneducated woman with not many prospects?
I think she is wonderful and I really like her, especially what she has done, but do you not think the media are just a little bit hypocritical (read big bit) about escorts? As attention grabbing and interersting as these books are... they are still glamourising prostitution at the end of the day, and what some impressionable readers may not see in these books, are the psychological side effects that go along with the job.
I saw an article recently absolutely slamming the xfactor girl (because she appears a bit dim) and completely trying to panic the readers into thinking that 'oh, just wait, it'll be YOUR daughter next who wants to be a hooker, especially when they let one enter the x factor!'. Silly, and unfair as she deserved an chance equal to the rest of the contestants, of course! BUT - why are they applauding and bigging up Belle and berating the rest? They are sending mixed messages...