Mental health is shaped by much more than individual experiences or biology. The social and systemic forces that surround a person—including their identity and environment—play a critical role in determining how they access care, the kind of treatment they receive, and their overall likelihood of facing mental health challenges. This is where the concept of intersectionality offers crucial insight. Originally introduced by legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw, intersectionality highlights how overlapping social identities—such as race, gender, socioeconomic status, and disability—combine to influence a person’s lived experience. When it comes to mental health, this framework helps us better understand how multiple layers of disadvantage can magnify risks and create barriers to care.