What was the outcome of Reed v. Reed in 1971?

The outcome of Reed v. Reed in 1971 was that the Supreme Court ruled against arbitrary gender-based discrimination. This landmark decision marked a significant moment in the history of gender equality in the United States. The case involved a dispute over the administration of a deceased son’s estate, where an Idaho law preferred men over women in appointing estate administrators. The Court concluded that the law constituted a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, emphasizing that discrimination based solely on gender is unconstitutional. This ruling helped set a precedent for future legal challenges against gender discrimination, affirming the principle that laws must not arbitrarily discriminate on the basis of sex, pushing forward the movement for gender equality in various aspects of society.