We are here to help.
Do you want to talk about your sexual orientation or gender identity and in need of someone to talk to? The LGBT Center’s Queer Peer Mentor Program is a one-on-one mentor program that matches mentees with someone of their similar identity who has come out. All mentors have been through the coming out process and have lived openly as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, or Queer for at least one year. With this program, mentees will meet with mentors weekly in a public location on campus to talk about the challenges inherent with coming out and help mentees gain a greater sense of self-acceptance while gaining ties to the LGBT community at MSU, Mankato and in Mankato. Coming out is hard to do and no one should have to do it alone.
Mentees will have informal one-hour meetings with their mentors in order to ask questions and discuss topics related to coming-out or living openly as LGBTQ. Often, mentors and mentees will meet for lunch or coffee in the Centennial Student Union. All mentoring meetings are private. On the first meeting with your mentor, the mentee will set up guidelines for privacy and all discussions remain private within the confines of your mentoring meetings. You have the right to cancel your mentoring relationship at any time.
What mentors provides:
• Guidance
• Support
• Answers to your questions about lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer or transgender issues
• A confidante
• An understanding ear
• Resource information
• Access to “community” networks
• A positive role model
• A paraprofessional relationship
What mentors do not provide:
• Therapy
• Absolute confidentiality
• Replacement for close, personal friendships
• A dating service
• Transportation
• Provide mentees with alcohol or other drugs.
What you can expect from your mentor:
• Concern
• Advice
• Understanding
• Help though the coming out process
• Facilitate exposure to the LGBT Center on campus
• Comparative information regarding what coming out has been like for others
• Familiarity with gay, lesbian, bisexual, queer, and transgender issues
• A non-sexual relationship with someone who cares
What is expected from you as a mentee:
• To be on time
• To attend appointments or cancel in a timely fashion
• To communicate your needs or concerns in as open and honest a manner as possible
• To realize that no question is too small or too embarrassing to be asked
The Queer Peer Mentoring program is available to all Minnesota State University, Mankato students. For more information contact Jessica Flatequal at jessica.flatequal@mnsu.edu or visit
The Queer Peer Mentoring program is sponsored by the LGBT Center in conjunction with the Counseling Center. All queer mentors receive initial training and ongoing supervision.
