Chapter 10: The Continuing Development of the Law on Sexual Harassment

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII) makes it “an unlawful employment practice for an employer . . . to discriminate against any individual with respect to his compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, because of such individual’s race, color, religion, sex, or national origin” (Civil Rights Act of 1964). The use of the term “sex” was not included in Title VII legislation first proposed to Congress. It was not until the legislation was being debated on the House floor that “sex” was added to prevent discrimination against another minority group—women (Freeman, 2008). Initially only intended to provide protection for women from discrimination, the prohibition of sex discrimination applied to both males and females.