Reed v. Reed addressed gender classifications under the Equal Protection Clause. Which statement is true?

• A. Any arbitrary gender-based classification violates Equal Protection
• B. The equal protection clause does not apply to gender
• C. The government may not consider gender in any law
• D. Gender classifications are inherently constitutional

Answer: (A)

Gender-based classifications are reviewed to ensure they are not arbitrary or based on stereotypes. Reed v. Reed holds that a law that automatically favors one sex over the other violates the Equal Protection Clause because it discriminates on the basis of sex without a legitimate, substantial relationship to an important government objective. This makes the statement true: any arbitrary gender-based classification violates Equal Protection. The case marked the Supreme Court’s move away from letting gender distinctions go unchecked and toward requiring a meaningful justification for such classifications. The other options misstate the effect: equal protection does apply to gender; the government may consider gender in some laws if justified by an important objective; and gender classifications are not inherently constitutional.