Sex-based discriminations are inherently suspect. A statute that automatically extends military benefits to the spouses of male members of the uniformed services, but requires the spouses of female members to prove they are dependent on the servicemember's income, is unconstitutional. Decided May 14, 1973 (argued January 17, 1973). Opinion of the Court: William J. Brennan → go there Dissenting: Rehnquist. Applied: the Fifth Amendment → go there Topic: Discrimination based on sex. Frontiero v. Richardson, 411 U.S. 677 (1973), is a landmark United States Supreme Court case which decided that benefits given by the United States military to the family of service members cannot be given out differently because of sex. Frontiero is an important decision in several respects, including the fact that it informed the military establishment that in terms of pay, allowances and general treatment, women must be considered on an equal plane as men. However, the Court did not issue a broad decision requiring the military to prove in the courts its reasons for excluding women from combat positions. Wiki link