In deciding gender discrimination claims, the courts of the United States apply what level . of scrutiny? A Intermediate scrutiny B Strict scrutiny C laws that discriminate against people based on gender are always unconstitutional. D The rational basis test

## Step 1<br />The problem is asking about the level of scrutiny applied by the courts of the United States when deciding gender discrimination claims. The options provided are Intermediate scrutiny, Strict scrutiny, a statement that laws that discriminate against people based on gender are always unconstitutional, and the rational basis test.<br /><br />## Step 2<br />The correct answer is Intermediate scrutiny. This is because, in the United States, the courts apply different levels of scrutiny when evaluating laws that discriminate based on certain characteristics, such as gender or race.<br /><br />## Step 3<br />The three levels of scrutiny are:<br />1. Rational basis review: This is the lowest level of scrutiny. Under this review, a law is constitutional as long as it is rationally related to a legitimate government interest.<br />2. Intermediate scrutiny: This is the correct answer. Under this review, a law is constitutional if it is substantially related to achieving an important government interest. This level of scrutiny is often applied in cases involving gender discrimination.<br />3. Strict scrutiny: This is the highest level of scrutiny. Under this review, a law is constitutional only if it is narrowly tailored to achieve a compelling government interest.<br /><br />## Step 4<br />The statement "laws that discriminate against people based on gender are always unconstitutional" is not a level of scrutiny but rather a statement about the constitutionality of such laws.<br /><br />## Step 5<br />The rational basis test is another name for the rational basis review, which is the lowest level of scrutiny.