Sex discrimination act 1975

The Sex Discrimination Act (SDA) was introduced in 1975 to prevent sex discrimination in any environment, for example; in the workplace, for money and role of job, a man could not be paid more in a job because he is male, and two people can’t go for a job as a nurse and the male has more experience but the woman would get the job because of her sex. College, for course choices, a girl could not be turned down for a place on a mechanics course. There is a distinction between direct and indirect discrimination.

Direct sex discrimination

This happens when a person is treated less or more favorably in the same situation just because of their sex. For example, a woman being charged more for a mortgage, or a course in childcare for women only. Sexual harassment is also a form of direct discrimination, as defined by the European Commission code of practice sexual harassment is’ unwanted conduct of sexual nature, or other conduct based on sex, affecting the dignity of women and men at work’. This includes unwelcome and repeated physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct. Both men and women can suffer from sexual harassment.

Indirect sex discrimination

This happens when, despite it being indirect, it happens to one sex more than another in certain situations. For example; if a housing association excluded single parents it may be indirectly discriminating against women, because the majority of single parents are women. Indirect discrimination is against the law if it cannot be justified, irrespective of sex and if the discrimination has caused disadvantage or distress in any way.

Advantages

1. Men and women have the same opportunities. This means if a women goes for a job as a police officer she has the same chance of getting the job as a man does.

2. You can’t get fired or be made redundant because of your sex, whether directly or indirectly. For example, a garage could say they were making a female working redundant when they just want to get rid of her.

3. Women and men get paid equally dependent on job role. So two teachers would be paid the same. Or curriculum leaders would be paid equally. This has overcome the old ways of men being paid more.

Disadvantages

1. It cannot change people’s personal views. This means that a man may think that a woman a woman should be at home cooking and cleaning and he should be working.

2. Sometimes males still get prioritised because females have the ability to get pregnant and have a maternity leave. For example, if two 28 year old male and female individuals went for a job the man would be more likely to get the job because the women is at a stage where she may be thinking about children and workplaces would rather take on someone they pay to do the job then pay to have a maternity leave, even if the woman has no thought of children.

3. It can be very hard to prove discrimination as everybody’s idea and views on it are different. There is a very wide range of discrimination and lots of ideas about it. Also sometimes it is unintentional and people do not realise they are doing it, but someone else might.