Characteristics of a Suspect Class

(1) The group discriminated against has suffered from a history of past discrimination;
(2) The trait that is the basis for the discrimination generally bears no relationship to a person's ability to contribute to society;
(3) The trait shared by the members of the class is often singled out to reinforce prejudice against the group or label the group as inferior;
(4) The group discriminated against is politically powerless by its numbers in the population, by under-representation in government, or by its inability to influence the legislative agenda;
(5) The trait shared by the group is a distinct trait; and
(6) The trait that is the basis for the discrimination is an immutable or unalterable characteristic, or one over which its members have little or no control, or is a trait that is central to personal identity.