{"id":100782,"date":"2026-08-17T15:41:24","date_gmt":"2026-08-17T19:41:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/?post_type=resource&#038;p=100782"},"modified":"2026-08-17T16:33:10","modified_gmt":"2026-08-17T20:33:10","slug":"intersectional-structural-stigma-in-mental-health-and-substance-use-health","status":"publish","type":"resource","link":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/resource\/intersectional-structural-stigma-in-mental-health-and-substance-use-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Intersectional Structural Stigma in Mental Health and Substance Use Health"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"100782\" class=\"elementor elementor-100782\" data-elementor-post-type=\"resource\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0bd7716 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"0bd7716\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e14e95d e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"e14e95d\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ab62414 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ab62414\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Different forms of discrimination interact in complex ways. Individuals with mental health or substance use health concerns may experience discrimination that gets complicated by other forms of discrimination such as racism, ableism, sexism, or ageism. The concept of intersectional stigma reminds us that these types of discrimination do not simply stack on top of one another. They interact and influence one another, creating distinct experiences.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Read our report<\/strong> to learn more about how intersectional structural stigma shows up in everyday care, explore strategies to address it, and review key considerations and priorities for future work.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Different forms of discrimination interact in complex ways. Individuals with mental health or substance use health concerns may experience discrimination that gets complicated by other forms of discrimination such as racism, ableism, sexism, or ageism. The concept of intersectional stigma reminds us that these types of discrimination do not simply stack on top of one&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":144,"featured_media":100789,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[809,188],"tags":[],"program":[],"program-area":[],"audience":[],"covid-hub-category":[],"health-canada":[],"class_list":["post-100782","resource","type-resource","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-professional-resources","category-reports"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.3 (Yoast SEO v28.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Intersectional Structural Stigma in Mental Health and Substance Use Health - Mental Health Commission of Canada<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Different forms of discrimination interact in complex ways. Individuals with mental health or substance use health concerns may experience discrimination\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/resource\/intersectional-structural-stigma-in-mental-health-and-substance-use-health\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Intersectional Structural Stigma in Mental Health and Substance Use Health\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Different forms of discrimination interact in complex ways. Individuals with mental health or substance use health concerns may experience discrimination\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/resource\/intersectional-structural-stigma-in-mental-health-and-substance-use-health\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Mental Health Commission of Canada\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/mental-health-commission-of-canada\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-17T20:33:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iStock-1488431374.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2304\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1301\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"1 minute\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\\\/resource\\\/intersectional-structural-stigma-in-mental-health-and-substance-use-health\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\\\/resource\\\/intersectional-structural-stigma-in-mental-health-and-substance-use-health\\\/\",\"name\":\"Intersectional Structural Stigma in Mental Health and Substance Use Health - Mental Health Commission of Canada\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\\\/resource\\\/intersectional-structural-stigma-in-mental-health-and-substance-use-health\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\\\/resource\\\/intersectional-structural-stigma-in-mental-health-and-substance-use-health\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/iStock-1488431374.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-17T19:41:24+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-17T20:33:10+00:00\",\"description\":\"Different forms of discrimination interact in complex ways. Individuals with mental health or substance use health concerns may experience discrimination\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\\\/resource\\\/intersectional-structural-stigma-in-mental-health-and-substance-use-health\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\\\/resource\\\/intersectional-structural-stigma-in-mental-health-and-substance-use-health\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\\\/resource\\\/intersectional-structural-stigma-in-mental-health-and-substance-use-health\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/iStock-1488431374.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/iStock-1488431374.jpg\",\"width\":2304,\"height\":1301,\"caption\":\"Healthcare, diversity and hands of doctors for teamwork, partnership and medicine success. Motivation, support and medical workers in hand gesture for solidarity, help mission and collaboration goals\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\\\/resource\\\/intersectional-structural-stigma-in-mental-health-and-substance-use-health\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Resources\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\\\/resource\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Intersectional Structural Stigma in Mental Health and Substance Use Health\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\\\/\",\"name\":\"Mental Health Commission of Canada\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Mental Health Commission of Canada\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/12\\\/mental-health-commission-canada-logo.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/12\\\/mental-health-commission-canada-logo.jpg\",\"width\":1920,\"height\":1080,\"caption\":\"Mental Health Commission of Canada\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/mental-health-commission-of-canada\\\/\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Intersectional Structural Stigma in Mental Health and Substance Use Health - Mental Health Commission of Canada","description":"Different forms of discrimination interact in complex ways. Individuals with mental health or substance use health concerns may experience discrimination","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/resource\/intersectional-structural-stigma-in-mental-health-and-substance-use-health\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Intersectional Structural Stigma in Mental Health and Substance Use Health","og_description":"Different forms of discrimination interact in complex ways. Individuals with mental health or substance use health concerns may experience discrimination","og_url":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/resource\/intersectional-structural-stigma-in-mental-health-and-substance-use-health\/","og_site_name":"Mental Health Commission of Canada","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/mental-health-commission-of-canada\/","article_modified_time":"2026-08-17T20:33:10+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2304,"height":1301,"url":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iStock-1488431374.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"1 minute"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/resource\/intersectional-structural-stigma-in-mental-health-and-substance-use-health\/","url":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/resource\/intersectional-structural-stigma-in-mental-health-and-substance-use-health\/","name":"Intersectional Structural Stigma in Mental Health and Substance Use Health - Mental Health Commission of Canada","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/resource\/intersectional-structural-stigma-in-mental-health-and-substance-use-health\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/resource\/intersectional-structural-stigma-in-mental-health-and-substance-use-health\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iStock-1488431374.jpg","datePublished":"2026-08-17T19:41:24+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-17T20:33:10+00:00","description":"Different forms of discrimination interact in complex ways. Individuals with mental health or substance use health concerns may experience discrimination","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/resource\/intersectional-structural-stigma-in-mental-health-and-substance-use-health\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/resource\/intersectional-structural-stigma-in-mental-health-and-substance-use-health\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/resource\/intersectional-structural-stigma-in-mental-health-and-substance-use-health\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iStock-1488431374.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/iStock-1488431374.jpg","width":2304,"height":1301,"caption":"Healthcare, diversity and hands of doctors for teamwork, partnership and medicine success. Motivation, support and medical workers in hand gesture for solidarity, help mission and collaboration goals"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/resource\/intersectional-structural-stigma-in-mental-health-and-substance-use-health\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Resources","item":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/resource\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Intersectional Structural Stigma in Mental Health and Substance Use Health"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/#website","url":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/","name":"Mental Health Commission of Canada","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/#organization","name":"Mental Health Commission of Canada","url":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/mental-health-commission-canada-logo.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/mental-health-commission-canada-logo.jpg","width":1920,"height":1080,"caption":"Mental Health Commission of Canada"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/mental-health-commission-of-canada\/"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource\/100782","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/resource"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/144"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource\/100782\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":100803,"href":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource\/100782\/revisions\/100803"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/100789"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=100782"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=100782"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=100782"},{"taxonomy":"program","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/program?post=100782"},{"taxonomy":"program-area","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/program-area?post=100782"},{"taxonomy":"audience","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/audience?post=100782"},{"taxonomy":"covid-hub-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/covid-hub-category?post=100782"},{"taxonomy":"health-canada","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/health-canada?post=100782"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}