“Neither man nor woman, neither one nor the other, cyclical, lunar, metamorphosing under the touch of the hand, changing in the human cradle, they were not my flesh, no friends; no love between us” (229). Genly Ai does not think he will ever be friends with the alien named Estraven because Genly Ai has strong personal biases learned on Earth. During her trip to Gethen, an unknown planet, Genly Ai discovers that the Gethenians are questioning her ways of thinking. In Left Hand of Darkness, Ursula Le Guin describes Genly Ai's journey to overcome the barriers of gender, fear, trust, and communication that prevent her from forming a romantic friendship with Estraven, a true Gethenian. Ultimately, Genly Ai finds that while interpersonal differences can be an obstacle to a romantic relationship, they are essential to it. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essay Genly Ai's shock at differences in gender and sexuality prevents him from developing relationships upon his arrival on Gethen with mission to form an alliance between Gethen and Ekumen, an organization of eighty-three worlds including Earth. All Gethenians are referred to as "he" and are mostly male until they enter a kemmer period where a feminine side emerges. During this time, a Gethenian can find a mate, and in order to reproduce, one of the mates randomly serves as a female and gives birth. The lack of clear gender distinctions confuses Ai when he describes his thought process of "seeing a Gethenian first as a man, then as a woman, forcing him into these categories so unrelated to his nature and so essential to mine” (12). Genly Ai notices in himself the conflict between his personal gender categories and Gethenian society's notions of sexuality. This conflict torments him because he constantly focuses on the differences between the sexes. Similarly, Genly Ai later explains to Estraven that gender on Earth is "'the most important thing, the heaviest factor in life'" (252-253). Stereotypes and prejudices also accompany Genly Ai's strong opinions on gender. Ai is “exasperated” by Estraven’s “condescension” because he is “built more like a woman than a man” (235). Genly Ai's annoyance stems from the challenge of her core beliefs about gender when Estraven's feminine gender contrasts with his masculine power over Genly Ai. Genly Ai's dependence on gender difference generates fear in him, which unknowingly hinders his relationship with Estraven. Genly Ai notices that he is "obsessed" with fear after speaking with Estraven, but he cannot identify the source of the fear (22). During their conversation, Genly Ai observes a feminine side to Estraven then suddenly notices that he is alone with this alien and suddenly feels fearful. On the other hand, towards the end of Genly Ai and Estraven's journey through the land of ice, Genly Ai reacts to Estraven's feminine appearance: "And I saw again then, and for good, what I had always been afraid of seeing and that I had pretended not to see. see in him: that he was a woman as well as a man. Any need to explain the sources of this fear disappeared with the fear; what remained for me was, at last, acceptance of him as he was” (266). Once Genly Ai accepts both sides of Estraven and stops trying to fit him into his own rigid gender categories, he appreciates Estraven's duality and is not afraid of his homosexuality. Genly Ai's initial fear of Estraven leads to distrust.