What do the provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 primarily address?

The provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 primarily address racial, religious, and gender discrimination, making the correct choice B. This landmark legislation was a crucial step toward ending segregation and discrimination in various facets of public life, including employment, education, and public accommodations. The Act targeted the systemic barriers that marginalized individuals faced based on their race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

The Act established legal frameworks to ensure that people had equal access to opportunities and rights, which had historically been denied to certain groups. By prohibiting discrimination and promoting equality, it played a significant role in the civil rights movement and laid the groundwork for subsequent legislation aimed at furthering equality and justice in America.

The other options do not align with the primary focus of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Economic inequality, environmental sustainability, and healthcare access are important social issues, but they fall outside the direct scope of the Act, which specifically targets prohibitions against discrimination based on personal characteristics.