Intersectionality is a concept describing how different forms of social identity and inequality interact to shape a person’s experiences. The term was introduced by legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw to explain how systems of discrimination such as racism, sexism, and ableism can overlap. In schools, intersectionality helps explain why some students experience barriers that cannot be understood through a single category alone—for example, a student who is both disabled and racialised may encounter different challenges than students who experience only one of those forms of marginalisation. Understanding intersectionality helps institutions respond more accurately to complex experiences of inequity.