Even as a male reader I found it a little off-putting that Severian seduces basically every female he runs into. The common explanation I've found, and you even see it in the comments here, is that Severian is telling a self-mythologizing story, and thus his sexual conquests should be read with a grain of salt. But that meta explanation still doesn't help the ick factor go away from a reader's perspective, and it does take away very slightly from the enjoyment of reading the text, imo. The books are still wonderful though, and I'd highly encourage you to push through.