Exploratory: discrimination against character trait
<p>What is the rationale for the scope of what EEOC prohibits discrimination against?</p>

<p>More precisely, I have been fired for a trait of character (pessimism) that seems to me to be as much an integral &amp; unchangeable part of my personality, as a transgender's sexual identity for instance. It's even possible my genetic make up might impact this trait of character. As objectively as I can look at my own situation, I feel discriminated against.</p>

<p>The scope of EEOC discrimination prohibitions is the law which empowers the EEOC to prohibit anything. There are very many such laws, passed by Congress: <a href="https://www.eeoc.gov/federal/adr/statutes.cfm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">here is a list</a> of laws and associated regulations (for the statutes passed by Congress, look for the stuff labeled "U.S.C". For example, racial discrimination is prohibited, under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. So far, Congress has not made personality trait a protected class. Whether or not sexual self-identification can be subsumed under sex discrimination is not a resolved matter (but even if it were, you would have to establishing that a personality trait is a concommttant of transgender identity).</p>

united-states discrimination workplace hypothetical