Calling it "benevolent sexism" is using a technical term you seem to be unfamiliar with. Benevolent sexism towards women is considered harmful to women and equality. Likewise attributing something overly positive to men would be considered harmful to men.

> By that same logic the bias that "men are smarter than women" is benevolent sexism.

Yes. Exactly. That's not the gotcha you think it is.

You can educate yourself on what the term means here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambivalent_sexism