How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
No physiological habit is established, and the mother of several children may be the father of several more. (7.4)
Wow, just wow. Can you even imagine how different this type of society must be? Of course, it might be interesting: women finally making good on their "if you only knew the pain of childbirth" threats. (On the other hand, no more leveraging that particular threat.)
Quote #5
Burden and privilege are shared out pretty equally; everybody has the same risk to run or choice to make. Therefore nobody here is quite so free as a free male anywhere else. (7.12)
Kemmer is a crapshoot. You may end up a man or woman, and there's no way to know until it happens. The upside? It's taken for granted on Gethen that anyone can do any job and be a mother at the same time.
Quote #6
I suspect that the distinction between a maternal and a paternal instinct is scarcely worth making; the paternal instinct, the wish to protect, to further, is not a sex-linked characteristic. (8.5)
Sure, you could argue with this—but it is kind of nice to think that parenting is something everyone can do. And, while we're on the subject, where are all the children in this novel? Nowhere, that's where. Odd, isn't it?