disapproval If you accuse a person or institution of applying double standards in their treatment of different groups of people, you mean that they unfairly allow more freedom of behaviour to one group than to another. Mrs Starky accused the local police of operating double standards. A set of principles permitting greater opportunity or liberty to one than to another, especially the granting of greater sexual freedom to men than to women. a rule, principle etc that is unfair because it treats one group of people more severely than another in the same situation
moral code or standard that applies more rigorously to one group of people or circumstances than to another, standard that is not equally applicable to all people