Federal fair housing laws do NOT protect which of the following classes?

Federal fair housing laws, specifically the Fair Housing Act, were enacted to prohibit discrimination in housing based on specific protected classes. These protected classes include race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, and disability. While the first three options—race, country of national origin, and religion—are explicitly listed as protected classes under this federal law, sexual orientation is not included.

As a result, the lack of explicit protection for sexual orientation under federal law means that individuals can face discrimination based on their sexual orientation in the context of housing without recourse to federal fair housing protections. While some states and local jurisdictions may have their own laws that extend protections to sexual orientation, these do not apply at the federal level. This distinction is crucial in understanding the scope of federal fair housing laws and why sexual orientation does not receive the same level of protection as the other classes mentioned.