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Sex & Gender Equality
Craig v. Boren
Decided: 1976
In brief
Established 'intermediate scrutiny' as the standard for evaluating sex-based classifications.
The Court's ruling in depth
Reviewing an Oklahoma law that let women buy 3.2% beer at 18 but required men to wait until 21, the Court settled on 'intermediate scrutiny' as the constitutional standard for sex classifications: they must be 'substantially related' to 'important' governmental objectives. Intermediate scrutiny remains the governing framework.