I arrived at Waterloo, half an hour before my train departed. Needing to buy a birthday card, I popped into Oliver Bonas, a shop which sells ‘lifestyle gifts’. I came across marble cheeseboards and gin-and-tonic scented candles. If you are looking for a lemon juicer shaped like a cactus, you will find one in Oliver Bonas.
The shop also sells ‘gift books’. Most are aimed at women and quite a few have the word ‘feminist’ in their title. There is one called Vajournal: An Interactive Diary for Feminists. It invites the reader to engage with ‘thought-provoking activities’ and describe their ‘worst and best sexual experiences’ as well as any instances of ‘everyday sexism’. Colouring books sit alongside anthologies of feminist quotations. Free the Tipple is a collection of ‘kickass cocktails’ inspired by iconic women. There is a picture of Frida Kahlo on the cover. Life Honestly: Strong Opinions from Smart Women is a ‘fabulous collection’ of extracts from the greatest feminist writers who live among us.
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