History Main / HookerWithaHeartofGold

* [[Literature/TheBible Rahab]], a supposed harlot who lived in Jericho and kept two Hebrew scouts from being discovered by the city guards. This allowed them to return and relay their information to Joshua, which led to the capture of the city. Rahab, for her kindness, was spared by the conquerors. The city of Jericho was pretty much doomed anyway since Joshua and his army had strict orders to level it. Rahab saved herself -- and her entire extended family -- the only way she could.

* ''Literature/ShadowsOfTheEmpire'': Mayli Weng, a representative of of the Exotic Entertainers Union, constantly advocates for better working conditions for exotic dancers and impresses Xizor with her good manners.

* Despite living in Hell, both Vaggie and Angel Dust in ''WebAnimation/HazbinHotel'' are good people, with the former being far more prominent than the latter. Vaggie was a Salvadoran prostitute while alive, and is now in a relationship with Charlie, the Princess of Hell. Aside from a [[HairTriggerTemper nasty temper]] and a penchant for [[KnifeNut throwing knives]], Vaggie doesn't show any truly evil qualities, and is the [[OnlySaneWoman only member of the main cast with common sense and practical advice]]. She cares about Charlie and has her best interests at heart, regardless if the hotel succeeds or not. Angel Dust was a gay 1940s New York gangster, and is now a spider demon DragQueen porn star turned prostitute/crime boss. He'll sleep with anyone for money, which funds his drug and alcohol addictions. He also loves violence, casually gunning down his enemies in a turf war. He's sarcastic, sassy, and crass, and will take every opportunity to mock and taunt friends and foes alike. However, he ''is'' the first demon to willingly give Charlie's hotel a chance, and clearly wants to comfort her after she bungles her TV interview. He also saves Cherri Bomb from an incoming attack, demonstrating that he is loyal to the people he cares about.

* Petra in ''Literature/{{Caliphate}}'' is a poor Christian girl forced into prostitution because [[DefiledForever she was raped by her master's son]]. She is still delicate because of the abuse she endures. Her "trainer" [[MissKitty Ling]] arguably counts herself, even though she puts Petra through a lot of suffering, she still feels bad about the poor girl and [[spoiler:secretly plans to smuggle her out of safety to China]].

* The eponymous prostitute/pimp/crime boss from ''Burning Chrome'' by Creator/williamGibson is a total subversion. Hooker with a heart of steel, indeed.

* Pilar Ternera, Petra Cotes and Nigromanta from ''Literature/OneHundredYearsOfSolitude''. The first woman is among the first Macondo inhabitants and shares deep bonds with the Buendia BigScrewedUpFamily [[spoiler: up to being the actual mother of two of its members, Arcadio (with José Arcadio Junior) and Aureliano José (with the soon to be Colonel Aureliano)]], the second is TheMistress of one of the Buendia descendants and his one true love, and the third is one of the girls working for a local MissKitty [[spoiler: actually a more-than-100-years-old Pilar]] and the closest to a best friend Aureliano [[spoiler: Babilonia]] has.

** Joe Bonecrusher and her girls go out of their way to help out at the village where they are at during an epidemic.

* ''Flim/TheGreatSmokeyRoadblock'': ALL of the ladies of the night have hearts of gold, but special mention must be made for Lulu, who is tubby, very sweet natured, and is not only a ''HookerWithAHeartOfGold'' but a ''HookerWithABrain'' - which might be a whole different trope... Needless to say, the fact that Lulu ends up with Beebo at the end of the film is cause for rejoicing!

%%* [[VideoGame/{{Metroid}} Samus Aran]], of all people, serves this role in ''WebVideo/ThereWillBeBrawl''.

* Alex Cameron's "Far from Born Again" is an ode to female independent sex workers, painting them in this way. Avoiding the typical [[CondescendingCompassion "sympathetic"]] stigmas that they were forced into it by some kind of burden, Cameron describes them [[EthicalSlut as simply honest, dedicated workers in a gruelling industry]], deserving of far more pride and respect for their hustle than [[AcceptableProfessionalTargets being dismissed for their field]].

* Alex Cameron's "Far from Born Again" is an ode to female independent sex workers, painting them in this way. Avoiding the typical [[CondescendingCompassion "sympathetic"]] stigmas that they were forced into it by some kind of burden, Cameron describes them [[EthicalSlut as simply honest, dedicated workers in a gruelling industry]], deserving of far more respect for their hustle than [[AcceptableProfessionalTargets being dismissed for their field]].

* ''Literature/StripTease'', by Creator/CarlHiaasen, hinges on this trope: Erin Grant becomes a stripper, but only because she has to do something lucrative to pay off her legal fees from trying to get custody of her daughter from her sleazeball ex-husband. She never actually has much of a romance with anybody, let alone being saved by ThePowerOfLove, and she gets the happiest ending of anyone in the book.

* ''LightNovel/SaiunkokuMonogatari'' has Kochou, the head courtesan of the capital's best brothel, who serves as a close friend and CoolBigSis to the protagonist Shuurei.

* Ga Yeon's unni from ''Webcomic/SongOfTheCloud'' [[spoiler: who dies of an unnamed disease within the first few chapters; the disease is presumably lung cancer]].

* Creator/JohnSteinbeck used this trope in ''Literature/CanneryRow'' and its sequel ''Sweet Thursday''.

Contrast with the GoldDigger; compare with the HighClassCallGirl and EthicalSlut. In TheWildWest, this character is properly called a "Soiled Dove". In 1950s Westerns, due to Bowlderization, whores may be depicted as dance hall girls and showgirls. If they're a mother, that child will be a SonOfAWhore. If Asian, they may also be an AsianHookerStereotype. Is liable to become a HeroicSeductress under certain circumstances. And possibly a MissKitty. A SingleMomStripper is often one of these.

* Creator/JohnSteinbeck: He loved this trope.
** He used it in ''Literature/CanneryRow'' and its sequel ''Sweet Thursday''.
** Kate from ''Literature/EastOfEden'' is the complete inverse of this trope, the Hooker With A Heart of Pure Malice.

* ''Series/BattlestarGalactica2003'' subverted this one in "Black Market", in which Lee Adama has been travelling to another ship to see a prostitute and her daughter. It looks like this trope until it's revealed she was spying on him for a crime boss. After he rescues her from said boss, she tells him that she's done playing replacement family with him to make up for his dead pregnant fiancée. She thinks it's important enough to tell him this immediately, ''before'' her daughter is definitely safe and sound.

* ''Series/BigSky'': Jerrie is a sex worker and a kind-hearted person.

* Laurie, Sam's friend on ''Series/TheWestWing''. Lisa Edelstein is believable as a call girl, as opposed to a streetwalker. She's no less convincing as a law student than as [[Series/{{House}} a doctor]]. It's the combination that requires a WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief. Oddly enough, she shows more cleavage in her role as a doctor than in her role as a call girl.