ABSTRACT
Although the Equality Act 2010 has, as one primary purpose, the removing of gender imbalances between men and women, it does not necessarily require the same treatment as between men and women. The aim is to ensure that one gender is not treated less favourably than another. An example of this can be seen in complaints concerning the differences in dress codes between the sexes. Sex is one of the nine protected characteristics in the Equality Act 2010; thus direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, harassment and victimisation because of sex are made unlawful. Indirect discrimination results from the equal implementation of neutral rules that end up causing a disproportionate disadvantage to a particular group of people coming within one of the protected grounds, for which there no objective justification can be shown. Marriage or civil partnership is also a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010.
