Do you feel a responsibility to mentor younger LGBT?

jac · 08-20-2012, 05:10 AM

Absolutely! One of my biggest mantras is "Live by example."

When I was at the university and moving along through my degree, many of the courses I was taking opened the mind to this vary thing on many levels. Me being a non-traditional student and sitting side-by-side with kids my own children's age, I felt and do feel compelled to share my life, my struggles and my growth as a member of the community. I tend to be a story-teller and I was usually able to capture the attention of several in the course. Sometimes they would stop me in the hall or pass me later in the day and want to talk. I was a neutral, none-judgemental adult that they could use as a sounding board.

The further along I got with my coursework the more I knew I was doing the right thing since my goal was and still is to run an adolescent homeless shelter for the community someday. I did my internship at our local adolescent homeless shelter and actually got the position because I told the director from the beginning my intenetions. I was hired on after graduation and I am me, living and breathing and succeeding as a member of the community and as a professional.

Mentoring is needed... and I do believe it's my responsability... as a stone, a butch, a lesbian, a woman, a mother and anything else some young struggling someone is needing at the time to; hear them, see them and acknowledge them. That is, however, what I always wanted as a youth....

girl_dee · 08-20-2012, 06:28 AM

Things have changed over the years. When i was in high school my PE teacher was no doubt a gay woman, we connected, and i wanted SO badly to talk to her. But i couldn't, she couldn't and all the girls were freaked out that our teacher was going to *look* at them.

One of my clients is the clone of my old PE teacher. She tells me how kids come to her left and right about being gay, and that she takes her partner on trips with the kids and parents.

lots happened in 25 years.

When i was in Oregon there was a young gay gal who was a lost puppy. Us old dykes sorta took her under our gay wings and by just showing her that we are NORMAL, gay couples operate like the straight ones! We have the same joys and woes as everyone else. She was out on the mountain but in the closet back home, and by having that experience she gained a great deal. She is still on my FB and we check in regularly. i think she is now out to her family and embracing her identity rather than hiding it feeling shameful.

Sometimes you mentor people by just being an example.

08-20-2012, 05:10 AM	#1
jac Timed Out - Permanent How Do You Identify?: butch stone Preferred Pronoun?: masculine ones work best... Relationship Status: ♥ engaged to spritz ♥ Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: bangor, maine Posts: 3,344 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 20,720 Thanked 16,492 Times in 2,972 Posts Rep Power: 0	Absolutely! One of my biggest mantras is "Live by example." When I was at the university and moving along through my degree, many of the courses I was taking opened the mind to this vary thing on many levels. Me being a non-traditional student and sitting side-by-side with kids my own children's age, I felt and do feel compelled to share my life, my struggles and my growth as a member of the community. I tend to be a story-teller and I was usually able to capture the attention of several in the course. Sometimes they would stop me in the hall or pass me later in the day and want to talk. I was a neutral, none-judgemental adult that they could use as a sounding board. The further along I got with my coursework the more I knew I was doing the right thing since my goal was and still is to run an adolescent homeless shelter for the community someday. I did my internship at our local adolescent homeless shelter and actually got the position because I told the director from the beginning my intenetions. I was hired on after graduation and I am me, living and breathing and succeeding as a member of the community and as a professional. Mentoring is needed... and I do believe it's my responsability... as a stone, a butch, a lesbian, a woman, a mother and anything else some young struggling someone is needing at the time to; hear them, see them and acknowledge them. That is, however, what I always wanted as a youth....

08-20-2012, 06:28 AM	#2
girl_dee Practically Lives Here How Do You Identify?: Femme Preferred Pronoun?: dee Relationship Status: Hitched up Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Livin’ the Dream Posts: 24,079 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 30,560 Thanked 54,830 Times in 13,908 Posts Rep Power: 21474873	Things have changed over the years. When i was in high school my PE teacher was no doubt a gay woman, we connected, and i wanted SO badly to talk to her. But i couldn't, she couldn't and all the girls were freaked out that our teacher was going to look at them. One of my clients is the clone of my old PE teacher. She tells me how kids come to her left and right about being gay, and that she takes her partner on trips with the kids and parents. lots happened in 25 years. When i was in Oregon there was a young gay gal who was a lost puppy. Us old dykes sorta took her under our gay wings and by just showing her that we are NORMAL, gay couples operate like the straight ones! We have the same joys and woes as everyone else. She was out on the mountain but in the closet back home, and by having that experience she gained a great deal. She is still on my FB and we check in regularly. i think she is now out to her family and embracing her identity rather than hiding it feeling shameful. Sometimes you mentor people by just being an example.