What are the seven federal protected classes under fair housing law?

The seven federal protected classes under the Fair Housing Act are race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, and disability. Race and color were protected under the original 1968 Act. Sex was added in 1974. Familial status and disability were added by the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988. Familial status protects families with children under 18, pregnant women, and anyone in the process of securing custody. Many state and local laws add additional protected classes such as sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, source of income, and veteran status.