It's a major kick for me to read about women who fight duels and how they attempt to deal with the ultimate in the clueless men. The Left Hand of Darkness , by contrast, feels dated. The parts that irritate me the most are portions of the story narrated by Genly Ai. Le Guin was a wise enough writer that the portions narrated by Estraven do not have this feature. In the more than twenty years since those works were written, many things have changed in society.
Women now comprise over half the work force and over half the students in colleges.
More men are actively raising their children. The proliferation of technology is a reminder that intelligence and adaptability, not mere physical strength, now drives this society. Some things, sadly, have regressed. The feminist and anti-gay backlashes have been painful to watch. Finding out from your adolescent daughter that she's treated badly by her peers in part because she'd rather not play girl games has been painful to listen to.