During the November 2010 National Association of Realtors (NAR) annual meeting in New Orleans, NAR’s delegate body voted to amend the NAR Code of Ethics to include sexual orientation as a protected class. The amendment to Article 10 of the REALTORS® Code of Ethics was passed in a roll-call vote by a greater than 9-to-1 margin.

Here is the amended language of Article 10 (additions are underlined):

REALTORS® shall not deny equal professional services to any person for reasons of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or sexual orientation.

REALTORS® shall not be parties to any plan or agreement to discriminate against a person or persons on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or sexual orientation.

REALTORS®, in their real estate employment practices, shall not discriminate against any person or persons on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or sexual orientation.

A related recommendation amending Standard of Practice 10-3 was approved as well:

REALTORS® shall not print, display or circulate any statement or advertisement with respect to selling or renting of a property that indicates any preference, limitations or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or sexual orientation.

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