I play as a woman when I want to screw about, because in that case it doesn't really matter, and I might as well make a conan-esque big titted barbarian, yo.

If I'm going for a serious RP playthrough, which is most of the time to be fair, I play as a guy, as they're much easier for me to relate to (DEM WOMEN... what?).

Most of my characters are human male, but I enjoy the occasional venture with Argonian, Kajiit, or female characters, just for the challenge of a different perspective than my own. As far as I can see, there's no real reason NOT to play a different six of character, but not that much reason to do so either, other than for some sort of "cheap thrill" of watching an under-dressed character in 3rd person perspective (and which is pointless if you play in 1PP). Since both genders play the game, it would make little sense to limit you. (Witcher, for instance, gives NO character starting options, and is a poorer RPG because of it, where Skyrim gives no MEANINGFUL starting options, which is marginally better).

I like that the game allows characters of either gender with no real penalties, but the lack of distinct body types and the stereotypical "female fashion model warrior" build makes it look kind of silly. If the warriors of BOTH genders looked like warrriors, the shopkeepers like shopkeepers, and the starving beggars like starving beggars, I'd be a lot happier with it.

For some reason, despite being male IRL, all my female RPs end up more consistent and interesting. Not sure why, I just prefer playing female characters.

Not like it matters.

The Adventurer job is an equal opportunity employer. It does not discriminate against race, gender, creed, or religion

I play both Genders in this game. The game offers subtle differences based on Gender, at least Morrowind and Oblivion did. In fact, there were some quests that are only available to certain genders.

Girls

I'm female. I play more female characters but never played as a girl in Skyrim. For some reason my male characters seem more complex.

I'm a guy and is ironic that my avatar is a female yet, I've never played a female character in a game except*cough* Tomb Raider. I like to play males because it's an extension of myself in the game. When I played Tomb Raider long time ago I imagined her as being a guy, me. My avatar is a female not because she's me psychologically or because I want to be like her but rather because I like a girl to be like her, femme fatale.

Mostly depends on the character I have in mind, which is often based on whatever book/film/tv show I'm watching. I've made my female Breton based on a BSG character. And in FONV my male char. is based on Jim Caviezel's Person of Interest. I RP them to a set of traits, usually taken from their onscreen counterparts mixed with some of my own. I also create chars based on myself. My first MW and OB chars. were modeled after my set if rules and morale.

Why do humans play as elves or orcs?
My characters are fun to roleplay because they are diverse and varied. I actually find male humans the least interesting as I encounter them so often in real life.

I'm male, and in Daggerfall and Morrowind I played through first as a male (Altmer then Nord)... I started over as a female character in Morrowind after my future mentor in House Hlaalu's little requests creeped me out for my male character... Then it just carried over to Daggerfall when I started my second playthrough...

Does that make me insecure?

Yep.

The fact that he only bothered you when he was flirting with your male character? Yeah, that's kinda insecure.

I like eyecandy, and I make characters of both genders that I find attractive. I don't download the ridiculous anime armors or any of that, but as far as I can go with the in-game sliders and apparel, I'll make somebody I want to spend 60+ hours looking at. Sometimes that happens to be a woman. Depends on the character I plan on playing, mostly. My thieves and mages tend to be of the female persuasion.

I was joking btw, anyone actually bothering to try and determine your mentality through how you play a game is an idiot in my book.

Aww, thanks. That means so much, coming from you.

sixual appeal. Womenz are pretty.

I imagine women roleplay as men for the same reason.

By the way, I play as men just as often as I play women. Both sixes are beautiful in their own way. (I am male and 100% straight, by the way, so don't get the wrong idea)

Men can use tactics, speed, distancing and brains, too.

Most guys will play a female because they just want something to look at. Many will play female for a change, for diversity, for roleplay reasons, etc.
I have a hard time relating to female characters so I almost always play male. Except, for some reason, when I roll a mage (which is rare in itself since I prefer a good piece of steel to all that magical stuff). I guess, in my mind, a female mage just works better. To me, magic is a more elegant and "beautiful" form; it's more mysterious. That seems like it would translate well through a more elegant and beautiful host.
That sounded really weird....

On a side note, the concept of a female Dragonborn who wields vast destructive power with her voice is rather frightening.

Actually, most husbands are quite familiar with that character...

I play girls simply because I finally can. I started computer gaming decades ago, when very few games gave you the option to play as a female. I got so sick and tired of having sausage forced upon me, that I cannot play games that do not give me the option to play a girl anymore. Give me tuna, or forget it.

This. So much this. I refuse to spend my money on a game that forces me to play as a male.

Most games don't give me the choice to play as a decent female character, so the only games I can play as one are RPGs, and I mean RPGs that have no player character voice implemented.

What if the game is story driven where the main character is a male...like Red Dead Redemption, Assassin's Creed, or Metal Gear Solid for example...you won't play those games?

I agree that having a female option is very important nowadays since females of all ages are playing video games more than they did before. Having said that, not playing a game because it forces you to play a gender is rather silly. You are actually hurting your escapism spirit more than anything else. I'm guy and I never play a female BUT I played long time ago Tomb Raider games and I had a blast. One of my best gaming memories comes from this classic game. Had I applied your attitude I would have missed all that.

I play a female character because I'm female, plain and simple.

I don't understand it either. Metal Gear Solid, Deus Ex and The Witcher all didn't allow me to create a female character and I still had a blast playing these games. It's all about the story, if I am to be Geralt of Rivia it would be crazy to demand that Geralt be a woman. It's like wanting Mario or Link to be female, or Lara Croft to be male.

But of course it's great if a game offers equally interesting and properly developed playthroughs for both genders. Mass Effect excelled at it, for example. "Equally" underlined, because there's always the memory of Baldur's Gate where romance options for women were reduced to Anomen

In Morrowind I played exclusively male. In Oblivion I almost always played female, because the males looked dumb. But I beat the MQ as male though. In Skyrim I always play male, because I like how they look; especially the Elves.