Lara Prendergast Lara Prendergast

Should we all write ‘feminist’ stocking fillers? | 23 December 2018

Welcome to the world of Oliver Bonas feminism

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.

Lara Prendergast
Written by
Lara Prendergast
Lara Prendergast is executive editor of The Spectator. She hosts two Spectator podcasts, The Edition and Table Talk, and edits The Spectator’s food and drink coverage.

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