Margaret, the EC9s has a moderate rack effort slide. My daughter has no issues with hers. The S&W EZ has the easiest racking slide currently available : budsgunshop.com/product_info.php/products_id/118854/smith+&+wesson+m&p9+m20+shield+ez+9mm

I'd say no. Bought my wife one of these and sold it two days later because she had trouble racking the slide and the recoil was to much because the pistols small. My wife has big hands so I think majority of the issue was because she couldn't get a good grip on it. So if you have small hands it shouldn't be too bad. I'd still recomend a little bigger of a pistol because the weight will help with recoil. Hope this helps.