“Neither man nor woman, neither one nor the other, cyclical, lunar, metamorphosed under the touch of the hand, iridescent in the human cradle, they were not my flesh, no friends; no love between us” (229). Genly Ai doesn't think he will ever become friends with the alien named Estraven because Genly Ai has firm personal prejudices acquired from Earth. On her journey to Gethen, an unknown planet, Genly Ai finds that the Gethenians challenge her way 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 him from forming a loving friendship with Estraven, a true Gethenian. Ultimately, Genly Ai believes that although interpersonal differences can be a barrier to a loving relationship, they are essential to it. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Genly Ai's shock at differences in gender and sexuality prevents him from developing any relationships once he arrives on Gethen with the mission to form an alliance between Gethen and Ekumen, an organization of eighty-three worlds including Earth. All Gethenians are called "he" and are mostly male until they enter a kemmer period where a feminine side emerges. During this time, a Gethenian may find a partner, and to reproduce, one of the partners randomly acts as a female and gives birth. The lack of clear gender lines disturbs Ai as she describes her thought process of "seeing a Gethenian first as a man, then as a woman, forcing him into those categories so irrelevant to his nature and so essential to mine" (12 ). Genly Ai notices within himself the conflict between his personal gender categories and Gethenian society's notions of sexuality. This conflict torments him because he constantly focuses on gender differences. Likewise, Genly Ai later explains to Estraven that gender on Earth is "'the most important thing, the single heaviest factor in one's life"' (252-253). Stereotypes and prejudices also accompany Genly Ai's strong vision on gender. Ai is "irritated" by Estraven's "condescension" because he is "made 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 her 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 notes that he is "haunted" by fear after speaking with Estraven, but cannot identify the source of the fear (22). During their conversation, Genly Ai observes a feminine side in Estraven and then suddenly notices that he is alone with this alien and suddenly feels scared. In contrast, near the end of Genly Ai and Estraven's journey through the land of ice, Genly Ai reacts to Estraven's feminine appearance, "And then I saw again, and forever, what I had always been afraid to see, and I pretended not to see." see in him: that he was a woman as well as a man. Any need to explain the origins of that fear vanished with the fear; what remained for me was, finally, acceptance of him as he was” (266). Once Genly Ai accepts both sides of Estraven and stops trying to fit him into her rigid gender categories, she appreciates the duality in Estraven and is not afraid of his homosexuality. Genly Ai's initial fear of Estraven leads to mistrust that further hinders their relationship. although Estraven never fails to trust Genly Ai. In the first chapter, Genly Ai states, “Not me.