how about a g19? if she likes it, why not?
i don't think there's such a thing as "female friendly operation." every woman has a different hand size, shape, strength, comfort level, etc. i am
capable of operating any handgun. that being said, my
personal hand size prevents me from reaching some safeties and mag releases without changing my grip. due to my
personal lack of arm strength, there are a few pocket pistols that have given me problems with racking the slide (beretta tomcat
). of course there are some pistols i prefer over others, just as my husband has some he prefers over others. but it's a completely personal choice; i don't think you can make that decision based on gender.
you can take her to a range that rents guns or invite buddies and their pistol collections to the range with you. she can try everything she can get her hands on. hand comfort alone is not everything, so i would try before i buy. i've learned that lesson now - finally.
another consideration is what the gun is for: is this solely a range gun? concealed carry? competition (and which one)? home defense?
if she has other questions about what action type she prefers (or explanations of those), what weight certain guns are, others' experiences, how/where to carry, etc., this is a good place for her to ask. there are also other websites that cater to women and firearms.
ultimately, though, if she already likes the g19, and it suits her purposes, she may just want to with that (i have one that i adore - it's my new favorite
). and i'm sure whatever gun she goes with, it won't be her last (they're addicitive like shoes!).