I started reading an Ursula K. LeGuin book yesterday (The Dispossessed) and it's decent, but there's a recurring theme of gender equality that's irritating whenever it comes up. The book focuses on the relationship between two neighboring planets, and their societies.

Very early in the book is this exchange between the protagonist and a doctor from the other world (no spoilers):

"Well, no, it seems a very mechanical basis for the division of labor, doesn't it? A person chooses work according to interest, talent, strength--what has the sex to do with that?"

"Men are physically stronger," the doctor asserted with professional finality.

"Yes, often, and larger, what does that matter when we have machines? And even when we don't have machines, when we must dig with the shovel or carry on the back, the men maybe work faster--the big ones--but the women work longer...Often I have wished I was as tough as a woman."

Shortly after it mentions the doctor's obvious inferiority complex.

This kind of thing happens fairly often and it feels like LeGuin is a little heavyhanded with the message...am I misinterpreting? Are her other works like this too?

Anyway, please recommend better sci-fi books, preferably more philosophical too.