I have to confess I never thought about it like that before. I'm not sure though, I mean in the second game EDI is basically "unshackled" by Jeff (Joker) during an attack on the Normandy by the Collectors to get rid of them (which, in essence, means giving her total free will, and removing all constraints on her programming which in turn allows her self-determination). Personally I think it's more along the lines of Asimov's works in terms of transition from a series of programming commands to a sentient, self-aware being (for lack of a better term). Also learning what free will is and how to use it, and what it means to be 'alive' as it were. Several of the between-mission conversations with EDI revolve around Shepard explaining various aspects of what it means to be human.
Very interesting to ponder though. As you say, there is a lot more fluidity with regard to sexuality and gender in the Mass Effect games (the part where Liara catches up with her father, for example), so it wouldn't surprise me if had cropped up in the developers' minds when putting the game together.