We know someone is inauthentic when they appear too rehearsed. That’s why our best advice to a friend anxious about an interview or a first date is always, “just be yourself.” But in the end, all we want to know is that the way we carry ourselves means something to another. If we’re lucky, we can even influence someone else while seeing a piece of ourselves reflected back. Take American soccer player Robbie Rogers. When he became the first professional athlete in the US, his identity suddenly meant something powerful to a lot of people. And of course, our third cover mister, Dan Donigan of RuPaul’s Drag Race provides a unique example of what it means to use performance to both define and question identity. In this issue, we evaluate how we perceive others and ourselves, the choices we make about who we want to be, and how we want to be seen. Presenting our most authentic selves doesn’t require practice, just a bit of courage and the innate motivation to be understood.