Final answer:
A high percentage of Chinese women worked as prostitutes in San Francisco due to limited job opportunities, racial discrimination, exploitation, and exclusionary laws. Discrimination led to few alternatives for employment, pushing some women into prostitution for survival. Community efforts to help were undermined by anti-Chinese sentiments.
Step-by-step explanation:
The high percentage of Chinese women working as prostitutes in San Francisco can be attributed to a combination of factors including limited job opportunities, racial discrimination, and systemic challenges such as exploitation and legal barriers. Many Chinese immigrants faced severe discrimination and exclusion, which often left women with few alternatives for employment. Those who were unmarried or poor faced even harsher economic conditions, and with little legal protection, some were forced into prostitution by brothel owners or as a means of survival due to language barriers and lack of education.
In addition, cultural movements and the stigma attached to prostitution influenced reforms and activism. Middle-class women suffered the consequences of diseases brought home by their husbands who frequented prostitutes. This spurred some to advocate for women's economic independence and voting rights as forms of self-defense. The Chinese community attempted to create social structures to aid one another, but widespread discrimination and anti-Chinese sentiments hindered their efforts and economic stability, further limiting the options available for Chinese women.