For me, it depends on what problems you feel you have? I had enormous problems growing up with my stepmother so having a female therapist worked best for me. I imagine if I'd had a difficult relationship with my father, a male one might have worked better. Too, it depends on which you might feel easier talking with and which would cause the least problems if you were "in love" with them and trying to work through mothering/fathering or sexual issues, etc. That, as you can imagine, could work well either way but I think how brave one was and/or comfort while working would both make a difference and have to be weighed to see which perspective/angle would be best to attack it from.

I'd look through my life and see what was "important" to me; if my kids or mothering are, I'd try to find a female therapist who has had children; I'd look hard at the issues and see if I'd "mind" if I had the opposite sex therapist for that or if I want a same-sex therapist. I had a male teacher in 6th grade (very rare back then, male elementary teachers) and had difficulties that were "interesting" :-) and think I worked some of them through with one of my first male therapists? So just turn your issues around in your hands and look at them from if you'd like to discuss them with a male or female and then look, at them from which might be best for you to look at them with :-) Even though it might be scary it might be better to discuss some with the "opposite" viewpoint?