In the last few years middle-aged women have found themselves talked and written about as morally inferior beings: the face of bigotry, entitlement and selfishness, to be ignored, pitied or abused. In Hags, Victoria Smith asks why women are treated with such active disdain. exploring the reasons why this type of misogyny is so very now. “Could not be more necessary” Rachel Cooke, Observer. Victoria Smith is a regular contributor to The Critic and other publications, focusing on women’s issues, parenting and mental health.