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hedgehog

(36,286 posts)
Wed Mar 5, 2014, 02:49 PM Mar 2014

Anyone here familiar with Ursala K. LeGuin's "Left Hand of Darkness"?

It's science fiction from 1968 featuring the planet Winter, inhabited by humans who are neither/both male and female most of the time, except when they more or less come into monthly heat, when the appropriate set of sexual organs develop depending on whether they will be male or female that month. Obviously, the book brings up a lot of questions about gender and identity.


So - with some trepidation I recommended this book as a Science Fiction classic to my small town Book Club - white women ages 60 - 85.

Some did not like the book - as per science fiction convention, it featured too many made-up words.

The conversation proceeded to a mention of trans-sexuals, and someone mentioned reading of the difficulties transsexuals with prosthetics have with airport security. Our oldest member responded "But that's their private affair! No one should be bothering them about that!" To be clear, this 85 year old woman was defending the right of transsexuals to live their lives as they wish with no interference.

The times, I think they've changed!

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Anyone here familiar with Ursala K. LeGuin's "Left Hand of Darkness"? (Original Post) hedgehog Mar 2014 OP
I need to re-read that book. It's been decades. villager Mar 2014 #1
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