That is however irrelevant to the reality.
Data (not all caps - it's a name) had a different issue, Starfleet considered him a tool, a property of Starfleet, and that issue was resolved.
But we do not deny EDI the right to be considered a sentient being.
The SexBot version of EDI is not different from Normandy version in regards of how she perceives and uses it. In both cases it's just a tool she uses to interact with the environment. The very fact of that proofs that she exists separately from her "body". She needs a body to fully exist, yes, but it can be ANY body. And that body doesn't change her personality - only her abilities. The problem of why she can't be inside the SexBot physically - is the logistical one, not fundamental. She's a big girl and SexBots come only in Slim sizes.