The Fair Housing Act is designed to protect against discrimination based on which of the following?

The Fair Housing Act is specifically designed to protect individuals from discrimination based on several protected characteristics, and one of those is familial status. This means that individuals cannot be discriminated against because they have children under the age of 18 living with them or are in the process of securing legal custody of a child. This protection ensures that families and individuals with children have equal access to housing opportunities.

It's important to understand that while gender identity is a critical aspect of anti-discrimination efforts, it is not explicitly covered under the original Fair Housing Act as enacted in 1968. Instead, it has been interpreted and included in certain local and state laws, as well as in recent rulings. Similarly, occupation and age are not among the federally protected classes listed in the Fair Housing Act. Familial status is thus the key characteristic outlined by the Act that seeks to ensure fair housing practices for families with children.