Le Guin presents to us, in The Left Hand of Darkness, with a breed of human which is truly biologically asexual, and posits that many of the traits we consider implicit to mankind are a result of the way we categorize behaviors, activities, ideologies and so forth in a male/female, dualistic manner. To strengthen the distinction between "us" (represented by Genly Ai) and "them" (the Gethenians in general and Estraven in particular), she gives us a very distinctive, stereotyped view of masculinity and femininity through Genly Ai early in the novel. Estraven is said to have "...a man's power..." (p. 7) as part of his character; his ability to influence and command others is, for Genly Ai, an explicitly masculine trait. Moments later, Genly expresses his distaste for what he refers to as "...feminine intrigue..." (p.8). The strongest moment of defining the masculine/feminine divide occurs at the palace; Genly thinks"...that at table Estraven's performance had been womanly, all charm and tact and lack of substance, specious and adroit." (p. 12). Le Guin's assigning of these stock roles to men and woman--power and strength versus subtlety and charm--while serving a purpose in emphasizing the duality in our culture (and the lack of one in Gethenian culture), is also misleading, and can lead to a potential misunderstanding of the novel.

Ideals of masculinity and femininity are cultural, not integral to our biology. Even in so small a difference as (in my experience) Italian versus American culture, behaviors that are considered proper form for men in one place may be seen as totally effeminate in the other. This variation ranges much more once you leave the context of Western societies, so much so that in certain areas of the world (some groups in the Caribbean, for example) aggression and physical dominance is associated with women, while subtlety and child-rearing is largely the domain of men. While that fundamental issue of duality remains, the actual traits which define masculinity and femininity are essentially irrelevant. In presenting a stereotyped Western-American cultural bias for defining the male/female divide, I feel that Le Guin runs the risk of drawing the reader too far into that mindset; although Genly perceives "masculine" and "feminine" traits in Estraven, he is simply put incorrect; Estraven's character is a unified whole, lacking binary division or masculine or feminine traits. Only once Estraven is understood as a whole person, rather than a bizarre, discomfiting amalgation of apparently opposing traits does he, and his society as a whole, make sense.