Mentoring the imagination: lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning youth engaging and expanding mentoring in Utah

There has recently been a slow steady growth of formal mentoring programs for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth. These mentoring programs provide resources, information, advice, assistance, and support to LGBTQ youth as they come out and develop LGBTQ identities. Despite the ever-growing array of opportunities for engaging in LGBTQ mentoring relationships, not all LGBTQ youth have access to, or choose to participate in them. Additionally, LGBTQ youth who do participate do not necessarily get all of their needs met by participating. LGBTQ youth are finding, creating, and participating in social networks and individual explorations that do not necessarily include formal LGBTQ mentoring programs, but might include mentoring opportunities. This project takes up the mentoring experiences of LGBTQ youth who grew up and came out in Utah in order to more deeply understand the ways LGBTQ youth are engaging with and expanding the possibilities for mentoring, particularly when access to LGBTQ adult mentors is limited.