How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
Among my fellow-prisoners I had also for the first time on Winter a certain feeling of being a man among women, or among eunuchs. (13.32)
Gender can be a separating factor same as nationality or skin color. Although the prisoners don't mean it, Ai still feels distinctly separated. Extra irony being he sees them as all women (the traditional macho-man's dream).
Quote #8
"In kemmer all the time…. Is it a place of reward, then? Or a place of punishment?" (13.60)
Good question, Asra. Are we better off being ready to go all the time—or worse? Wise men will ponder this one for ages to come, especially since it has no answer. Tricky.
Quote #9
He, after all, had no standards of manliness, of virility, to complicate his pride. (16.137)
Sometimes we act the way we do because society says men/women should act this way. Naturally, different societies will have different answers to this rule. Save for the Gethenians, obviously, who have shifgrethor (although that's a whole other can-o-problems).