Final answer:
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of sex, protecting both men and women. It helps to advance equal pay for equal work and has contributed to reducing the gender wage gap.
Step-by-step explanation:
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a pivotal piece of legislation that prohibits employment discrimination on various grounds, including sex. Contrary to the assertion that it only applies to men, Title VII explicitly protects both men and women from discrimination in the workplace. The inclusion of sex as a protected characteristic was initially intended as a strategy to defeat the bill, but it ultimately became a key aspect of the act, supporting efforts toward achieving equal pay for equal work. Over time, these anti-discrimination laws have contributed to narrowing the gender wage gap, a fact underscored by a Department of Labor study conducted in 2007, which considered factors such as education and work experience. Additionally, the standard of intermediate scrutiny applied in court decisions advocates for equal treatment unless the government can prove a substantial justification for different treatment of men and women.