In This Issue…

Before the golden reign of Ru Paul’s Drag Race brought the art of drag to mainstream audiences, there was the magic of Dame Edna Everage. As a child I would watch, spellbound, any time Dame Edna appeared on my television screen, unable to fathom how a cisgender man could step so wholly into the shoes of a character a million miles away from his own identity. Later I would discover Lily Savage, the films of John Waters and the groundbreaking queens of 1990s New York in Paris is Burning, but Barry Humphries, in his hornrimmed glasses and lilac wig was my first drag love. That’s why I’m thrilled that on p28 the man behind the mask shares with us the highlights of his magnificent career and life, from his famous friendships, to his loves and losses.

Anna

For many of us, goals and aspirations give life structure and meaning. Yet, as any psychologist will tell you, centring our happiness and self-worth solely around the promise of success can lead to great emotional suffering. So how can we effectively manage the mental comedown that accompanies achieving major goals? On p54, we delve into the baffling phenomenon known as “arrival fallacy” and the practical tips on dealing with it, that include mindfulness and even advance planning.

Does the key to spiritual stability lie in making herbal liqueur? Learning about the mysterious Carthusian monks on p88, you might think so. This nearly 1000-year-old order has been making the sharp Chartreuse cordial for centuries, the production of which sustains their fascinating lifestyle.

Eva