Legal Definitions - double standard

A double standard is when one group of people is given more opportunities or treated more leniently than another group, usually based on factors like gender or race. This is a form of discrimination, which is when someone is treated unfairly because of their age, sex, nationality, religion, or disability.

For example, if a company only hires men for high-paying jobs and women for lower-paying jobs, that is a double standard based on gender. Another example is if a school punishes students of color more harshly than white students for the same behavior, that is a double standard based on race.

Double standards are unfair and can lead to unequal treatment and opportunities for different groups of people.