Words by Jemma Perelaer Art by Freya Lauersen
Generations of women have fought tooth and nail for the rights we have today. The first wave of feminism was pioneered by the suffragettes.
Surviving Christmas
Words by Thiamando Pavlidis Art by Liz Cameron
When you think of a traditional Christmas in Australia, you think of barbecue prawns, pavlova, Christmas crackers and paper crowns. You might even have fond memories of when Nana had too many sherries and asked Uncle Graham when he was going to find a wife, right in front of his partner Kevin.
The Australian Dream
Words by Ragina Hong
When I was a kid, one of the most frequently asked questions I would receive was, “what do you want to be when you grow up?” 21 years on, I still ask myself that same question. It’s also one of my favourite conversational topics at dinner tables whether people are seven, 17, or 76. For many of us, the great Australian dream may be to own your own home, have a loving partner to share it with, and kids running around the backyard drinking Up-n-Go’s (at least that’s what ads keep telling us). The ‘dream’ has us working Monday to Friday, nine to five. Whilst that is a noble pursuit, surely the modern university student dreams of something a bit bigger or at least a little different? Tasked with turning my pure-hearted curiosity to something productive, I set off to interview a few people around me about what their dreams for the future were…
Backstories of Buildings
Words by Caitlin Johnston Art by Raphaela Alexopoulos
Melbourne is such a vibrant city with a harmonious mixture of contemporary and historical sites but few people take the time to look around. Fear not, I’ve put together a walking tour to reintroduce you to our great city.
To Infinity and Beyond
Words by Diksha Dahiya Art by Lily Li
I have always been mesmerised by the universe and how far humans have come in their understanding of it. We put a dog in space, walked on the moon and found water on Mars. But now we are in the next space race, the race to find a new home for the human species.
A Letter To My Younger Self
Health Hysteria
Words by Sarah Petty Art by Chloe Papas Expertise from Marina Payne
It seems as though there’s a new way to achieve optimal health every day. It’s hard to keep up. Suddenly, foods we’ve been eating for centuries are suddenly slowly killing us. Menus and supermarkets are very difficult places, a maze of this week’s health foods, whether it’s coconut oil or hemp seeds, celery juice or gluten-free diets. In 2019 there are a lot of mixed messages about healthy eating. So I thought it was about time someone sat down with a dietician to set things straight and dispel some of these food fallacies and fantasies. Marina Payne, an accredited dietician and friend, offered her expertise.
Small Changes, Big Impacts
Words by Lauren Rosenberg Art by Sarah Mackey
The wonderful thing about change is that it doesn’t have to be big or newsworthy. Change is an avalanche, and each individual is the singular snowflake that creates the hurling mass of snow tumbling down the mountain. By focusing on what you can do, it creates a positive cycle of reinforcement and encouragement.
Breaking the Silence
Words by Georgia Cameron Art by Kelly Zheng
Regional Australia is known for its beauty and boundlessness. But amongst these limitless planes of ours, there are communities who are suffering. Mental health is a global issue, but in these small towns across Australia, access to mental health care and support is limited if provided at all. But there are people trying to change that.
Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is
Words by Coby Renkin Art by Nick Manton
Let’s be honest, in this ‘woke’ world it can be confusing to know how best to help. Even something like supporting charities can be very overwhelming. So, we’ve made it easy with a list of some of the best and most deserving Melbourne based charities.
BirthStrike
Words by Dinithi Perera Art by Serena Ang
Single use plastic bags, thrift store shopping and veganism. Choice has become an important aspect of climate change solutions as millions of people have become more aware of their environmental impact. It has become increasingly normal to make various lifestyle changes in the name of sustainability. But would you choose not to have children because of climate change?
Who Are You Helping?
Words by Thiamando Pavlidis Art by Gabby Parish
It was around three years ago when my mum answered the door to a girl from one of the nearby private schools who was selling homemade Christmas wreaths.
Making and Breaking Friendships
Words by Maya Art by Zoe Alexiades
In my post high school naive mind, it was simple. We were young and jobless. We had the time and the freedom of going out instead of studying for exams. Our days were empty, waiting to be filled with adventure. But this new found freedom came at a cost. There was no more seeing the same faces every day. No more sitting on the oval laughing about stupid shit. No more cramming for a test together or late-night snapchatting mental breakdowns of how we were all doomed to fail.
Confessions of Good People
Words by Hannah Schauder Art by Liam Grant
We like to think that we are truly good people who act on the values and morals we’ve been taught. But what makes a ‘good’ person? No matter how polite, kind and selfless we try to be, we can’t escape the bad habits, hidden secrets, dark thoughts and guilty pleasures that haunt us daily.
The Activist Generation
Words by Tess Astle Art by Emma Lucas
Generation Z gets a bad wrap. Millennials get typecast as the lazy and entitled generation who talk in hashtags and can’t go a moment without their phone. Older people continue to complain about our vanity and apathy, worrying about our lack of political engagement and self-absorption. The truth is a lot more hopeful.
A Day in The Life
Words by Andrea Selvarajah Art by Cynthia Berciano
Hey! It’s me again! Your favourite carb-free, fat-free, sugar-free, salt-free, heroin-free, seasoning-free, vegetable-free, fruit-free, protein-free influencer! And now I’m really excited to announce that I’m going water-free! Did you know that water makes up around 70% of your body weight?
Selfcare Astrology
Words by Ruby Ellam Art by Kadee Fang
Astrology and self-care are the interchangeable top priorities of millennial, middle-class women today. As one of those new-age witches of Instagram and a rampant Aries, I’m here to let you know how the stars want you to relax and how to pamper yourself at your nearest convenience. And before any guys with tiny beanies and poorly maintained beards call me out because it’s “not real”, I’ve faked all my orgasms and you never seemed to notice. So be a friend and swallow a little bullshit for my enjoyment.
The Future is Here–Period.
Words and art by Liss Vainio
We talk about banning straws to reduce plastic—but the average pad can be made up of 90% plastic, meaning one pad can contain as much plastic as four plastic bags. Keeping that in mind, approximately 20 billion menstrual products are dumped yearly in the U.S. alone. It’s a curious thing that menstrual products aren’t often included in the discussion, despite the ludicrous amount of environmental damage both the creation and disposal of them causes.
Buddha This, Buddha That
Words by Gitika Garg Art by Jessie Liu
In today’s world where social media dominates our modern landscape, the true meaning of spirituality has been clouded with misconceptions and false portrayals. Don’t get me wrong, eating healthy, meditating and practising yoga are important elements of Eastern philosophy. But what we need is to strip spirituality back to its basics. … Buddha This, Buddha That
The Meaning of Life
Words by James WF Roberts Photography by Navarre Fenwick
Let’s get it out of the way now, the meaning of life sadly is not 42. Well, it very well might be, but how do we prescribe any sort of meaning in what can seem like a meaningless existence?
It’s My Life and I’ll Cry If I Want To
Words by Emily Burkhardt Art by Ty Foley
Crying is one of the most controversial bodily functions. We can all agree that everyone digests and poops without too much opposition but crying seems to be a little on the nose for some. It’s just liquid coming out of your eyes, but there seems to be this orbit of emotional stigma around crying that can get in the way of just getting it all out.
Esperanto Magazine 