Sex / Gender
In 1974 the Fair Housing Act was amended to include sex as a protected class. Although this form of discrimination most often impacts women, and particularly women with limited financial resources, men can also be victims of discrimination.
Examples of discrimination may include:
- Advertising indicating a gender preference. For example, “Room to rent to a young woman…”
- Quid pro quo, such as offering rent for sex.
- The housing provider making frequent sexual remarks about a tenant or stares inappropriately.
- A landlord refusing to act to stop sexual harassment between tenants.
Domestic Violence and Housing: People who are experiencing or have experienced domestic violence are protected by the Fair Housing Act, as well as the Violence Against Women Act and the Virginia Residential Landlord Tenant Act.
Sexual Harassment and Housing: It is against the law for a housing provider to make sexual favors a condition of housing, to make sexual advances, or to engage in unwanted physical or verbal conduct that is sexual in nature. Sexual harassment committed by a landlord, real estate agent, building manager, maintenance person, loan officer, insurance agent, housing provider, or any other person involved in real estate‐related transactions is a violation of the Fair Housing Act.
