Greets,
I think part of the whole roleplay idea is that people can play a character different from themselves. So I see nothing strange with guys playing female chars or vice versa, as long as the char is played well. Personally I tend to concentrate on male characters, as they're easier to play for me and thus seem more realistic in-game. I do have an occasional female "alt" though. Sometimes they're just to reinforce the story behind the main char, sometimes to provide a different viewpoint to the game world.
What comes to visual pleasure, I enjoy art well done, regardless of it's gender.
Regards,
- Cherppow