first of all @xxii great question.
second of all to all the people saying that ‘the reason it is illegal is due to the possibility of disease, and it cannot be regulated,’ i think you are backwards. it can spread disease and it cannot be regulated BECAUSE it is illegal (not the other way around). i.e. if it was legal, the disease would go down because getting tested would be part of the worker’s safety, and if it is legal, sex workers would have to claim the money they make therefore it would be taxed.
back to the original question, i think @Seaofclouds has made a very insightful comment about who is doing the paying/hiring or porn stars vs. prostitutes.
the porn industry is just that, an industry. they have lobbyist who literally have gone to court to defend their right to do what they do. on the other hand there is no “sex workers union” in the united states. this is due to the fact that the culture of prostituting only thrives when a pimp can keep his women from uniting against him. it functions in our society by not having unification.
so i do agree that it is strange that one is legal the other illegal (that goes for singapore also).
but i do want to just end by saying both of these ‘professions’ – porn actress/actor and prostitute (male and female) – have been shown to have harmful psychological effects on the participants.
(yes there are exceptions to the rule, and you will always find some people who will argue that they are fine despite their profession by saying “i am in porn, or i am a prostitute by my own free will, i like it and i make a lot of money.” but i would question anyone’s sanity who only does work to make a lot of money…just sayin)