The Big Gap in Discrimination Law : Class and the Equality Act 2010

Discrimination law, around the world and particularly in the UK, has largely ignored discrimination based on class. This article makes two main arguments. There is a specific argument: UK lawmakers should amend the Equality Act 2010 to introduce class as a ‘protected characteristic' because class is a basis for discrimination. This article considers and rebuts common arguments that class is too difficult to define. There is also a more general argument: academics in discrimination law often sideline analysis of class and classism. Classism tends to be euphemised as a system of ‘socio-economic disadvantage' that is unrelated to discrimination. This article discusses why that view is wrong. Without paying attention to class and classism, the law will continue to ignore a major form of discrimination and to miss how classism intersects with other forms of discrimination