Which legal term refers to unfair treatment based on inherent personal characteristics?

The term that refers to unfair treatment based on inherent personal characteristics is discrimination. Discrimination occurs when individuals are treated unjustly or unequally because of their race, gender, age, disability, or other personal attributes that are often beyond their control. This concept is crucial in understanding various legal frameworks that seek to protect individuals from biased treatment in areas such as employment, housing, and education.

Other terms in the list, while related to concepts of fairness and treatment, do not specifically encompass the idea of unfair treatment based on personal characteristics. Equity refers to fairness and justice in the way people are treated but does not explicitly denote the bias or prejudice that discrimination implies. Justice generally refers to the principle of moral rightness or the enactment of laws and rules to achieve fairness, but it is more broad and does not directly denote unfair treatment. Equality signifies the state of being equal, especially in status, rights, and opportunities, but it does not capture the specific notion of unfair treatment arising from discrimination. Therefore, discrimination is the most accurate term for describing unfair treatment based on inherent personal characteristics.