Often when people are grappling with a double standard, they don't think to evaluate what part of the standard they are affirming. This may lead you to endorse an unjustifiable or unreasonable viewpoint merely because it applies equally to both sexes.

For example, here are some of the most commonly asserted double standards. If you think any of these simply aren't true that's fine, but temporarily assume they're true to illustrate this problem:

  1. Men are wrong to hit women in self-defense, but women are justified to hit men in self-defense

  2. Women can't sleep with a lot of people without major social repercussion; men can

  3. Women aren't expected to approach men; men are expected to approach women

  4. Women are expected to smile a lot; men can get away with not smiling as much

In all of these cases, there is an affirmation of some position but there is a rejection too, and most people will take one or the other.

Here are the two positions from each one:

  1. (A) Both sexes should be able to hit people (perhaps amended with "people weaker than them") in self-defense / (B) no one should hit anyone (perhaps amended with "people weaker than them") in self defense

  2. (A) People should be able to sleep with lots of people without serious social repercussion / (B) no one should be able to sleep with lots of people without serious social repercussion

  3. (A) Both sexes should be expected to approach each other / (B) neither sex should be expected to do any approaching (although I'm not sure how that would work)

  4. (A) Both sexes should be expected to smile a lot / (B) neither sex should be pressured to smile much

My positions, respectively, are A - A - A - B, but you could pick B - B - B - A and still have resolved the double standard.

This is important to remember because resolving a double standard is as simple as picking a position that applies uniformly. It does not mean that a uniformly applied position makes sense. You can take a senseless position and apply it as a single standard, because the application of a standard doesn't guarantee the sensibility of the standard itself.

So, the next time you're picking a resolution to a double standard, make sure you're not accidentally endorsing a position you don't think is the reasonable course of action.