Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a federal law that prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

At the time of the case's decision, Southwest was the only major airline in the United States that refused to employ men as flight attendants and ticketing agents.

[4] Plaintiff Gregory Wilson, along with a class of over 100 male job applicants, challenged Southwest Airlines' refusal to hire men, arguing that it violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

[5] In response, Southwest contended that its female employees were integral to the company's success and that their employment fell under the bona fide occupational qualification exception in Section 703(e)(1) of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

[5][6] The Court held that being a woman was not a necessary qualification to perform the duties required of flight attendants and ticketing agents and that Southwest's desire to continue their successful marketing campaign was not a business necessity that trumped federal law.