Unit 2
Assignment 1
Essay 2
Expository Essay
“Crystal Balls”

The author Kim Pittaway remembers more than 20 years ago when the question “Where will you be in 2000?”was posed at a New Years Eve party. She remembers what she said and it makes her ponder all the accomplishments of Canadian women since then. She wonders whether the past “trailblazers” have done the future women any favors in fighting for equal rights. She wants to feel proud of how far women have come in terms of rights, just treatment and appropriate monetary compensation but does that have to be at the cost of principles? “Parts of her” want to be that person that is a section of a relay team that carries the torch for women’s equality and rights. To be proud to prove that women can conquer in their multi-tasking skills and show men’s shortcomings and limitations. Other “parts” of her balk at the thought of proving female achievement at the cost of establishing the deficiencies of men. The victory would not be complete if received while minimizing the contributions of the opposite gender. She thinks of her mother and grandmothers that were working parents and brought home paychecks that equaled the value of their male partners. Generations back when females were only hired out of grudging necessity is a time better left to history. She doesn’t feel comfortable with the idea that it’s women’s turn to enjoy the rewards of the future and for men to taste the unfairness of the past. She doesn’t feel comfortable with the phrase “The future belongs to women” because it doesn’t give her a positive sentiment. In her opinion, the females from our collective past didn’t fight and work to succeed just to exclude “the boys” at the end of the day. The victory would feel empty if at the cost of someone else. In Kim’s ideal future, the success and the rewards to be achieved should be based on