one of nine personal characteristics or situations that cannot be used as a reason to discriminate against someone (= treat them unfairly), according to discrimination law

The protected characteristics are age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion and belief, sex, and sexual orientation. 受保护的特征包括年龄、残疾、变性、婚姻和民事伴侣关系、怀孕和生育、种族、宗教和信仰、性别和性取向。