hi there! I am actually selling a WSD road bike right now (a Lemond) and have since bought a Litespeed... they changed a few components and put WSD shifters/brakes on the Litespeed for me... It does indeed make a difference! Regular bikes have shift and brake reach set for men sized hands so the reach is much longer... I have ridden a regular bike and found it difficult and uncomfortable to shift and especially difficult to brake when in the drops... which of course means on downhills... where you may need to brake to stop for a light etc! They also have handlebars that are broader meant to fit a man sized shoulder width... your handlebars should be the same width as your shoulders typically.
try both out and see which is more comfortable for you... also I finally bought a women specific saddle... shoulda done that the first day I bought the bike! I got the Terry Butterfly and love it... much more comfortable than a mens saddle... lets face it... women are just built different than guys! Good luck with your new bike!