The Left Hand of Darkness (1969)

About this episode

The episode discusses Ursula K. Le Guin's science fiction novel, The Left Hand of Darkness, focusing on its themes of gender and sexuality.

Today we are discussing Ursula K. Le Guin's Hugo and Nebula award-winning 1969 science fiction novel, The Left Hand of Darkness. Join us to hear about ambisexual beings who defy gender norms, the initially sexist man who comes to love them and a sexually charged journey across a glacier. Check out our website, where you can find our sources, as well as everything there is to know about Queer as Fact. If you enjoy our content, consider supporting us on Patreon, checking out our merch, and following us on Instagram, Tumblr and Bluesky. [Image: A cropped cover of "The Left Hand of Darkness" featuring the author's name, Ursula K. Le Guin, as well as the tagline "A masterpiece from one of the great writers of the 20th Century".]

People in this episode

Host: Queer as Fact

Topics covered

• science fiction
• gender norms
• ambisexual beings
• Hugo award
• Nebula award
• sexuality
• literature

Keywords

• Ursula K. Le Guin
• The Left Hand of Darkness
• gender
• science fiction
• ambisexual
• Hugo award
• Nebula award

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Left Hand of Darkness

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