One might hope for laws that are written by sane people for honest reasons, but that is seldom the fact. Laws are written by politicians for political reasons.

If a 55 year old woman wanted to rent a room in her house to help cover the bills, she could be charged with a serious crime by specifying what type of renter she wanted, even if she would feel most comfortable around another woman of similar age.

Tragically, if the house had a professionally-built entry ramp and were completely wheelchair friendly, she would not be able to suggest a desire for a handicapped tenent. A newspaper or online listing service could be shut down for violating federal anti-discrimination laws unless you simply say "room for rent". You can describe the room and give terms such as price and size of deposit.