Intersectionality—an analytic tool that enables researchers and historically marginalized communities to investigate how “intersecting power relations influence social relations across diverse societies as well as individual experiences in everyday life” 1 (p2)—is becoming a prominent lens through which to conduct social and behavioral science research, particularly within the field of public health. 1–3 Intersectionality is now recognized as critical to ending the HIV epidemic, as well as addressing other public health priorities. 2, 4 Stigma researchers are applying an intersectional lens to understand and address health inequities among groups at the most marginalized intersectional positions, as stigma reduction cannot be fully achieved without centering the structures and systems that drive stigma and discrimination. 2, 5, 6 For example, without understanding how racism and homophobia mutually shape the experiences and opportunities of sexual minority people of color, we cannot fully understand or address the stigma and discrimination they experience. To realize its full potential for improving health equity, a closer look at the concept of intersectional stigma and how it is operationalized in research and practice is warranted. Berger defined intersectional stigma as the “total synchronistic influence of various forms of oppression which combine and overlap to form a distinct positionality.” 7 (p24) Logie et al. defined intersectional stigma as the “interdependent and mutually constitutive relationship between social identities and structural inequities.” 5 (p9) Considering these definitions, the next logical step in understanding and addressing public health inequities is to deliberately integrate intersectional stigma frameworks into interventions to improve health outcomes.

To address intersectional stigma and its sequalae, it is important to consider what it means for a stigma reduction intervention to be “intersectional.” We recommend that an intersectional stigma reduction intervention should hold the following principles:(1) recognize and name how systems of power, privilege, and oppression intersect to affect individual experiences and fuel stigma;(2) aim to dismantle systems of power, privilege, and oppression, and mitigate the harms caused by those systems;(3) ensure community leadership and meaningful engagement; and (4) support collective action, cohesion, and resistance to address the intersecting axes of inequities. We explore these principles to guide progress toward achieving health equity.