Which law added sex (or gender) to the list of protected classes?

The Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 added sex (or gender) to the list of protected classes in the realm of housing discrimination. This act built upon the Fair Housing Act of 1968, which initially prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, and national origin. The 1974 amendment expanded this to include sex as a protected class, thereby offering additional protections against discrimination in housing-related transactions.

The Fair Housing Act of 1968, while significant for its protections, did not include sex as part of its original provisions. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 primarily focused on discrimination in employment and public accommodations, making it a landmark legislation for civil rights but not specifically addressing housing issues in the same manner. The Equal Employment Opportunity Act, related to employment discrimination, furthered protections in the workplace but did not pertain directly to housing. Thus, the 1974 Act is the pivotal legislation that explicitly included sex as a protected class within the context of housing.