While Nana Visitor is obviously attractive, I don't like Kira so it's hard to see her as hot. Now Dax on the other hand...
I never liked her very much until that episode she was hunting cardassian voles. I searched trekcore for a screencap but what they have is too dark and Obrien photobombs the frame http://ds9.trekcore.com/gallery/albums/2x17/playing_god_045.jpg
I've always loved the character, but it was always Dax who I thought was the sexiest (even more so than Seven and T'Pol, frankly).
I absolutely cannot stand her character. She's a whiny religious fanatic who jumps to a conclusion in every episode only to be proved wrong and that not all cardassians are bad. I mean, How many episodes do we need before she learns and stops judging? I like her interactions with Odo though, I just think Kira specific episodes are among the worst.
She cried for Marritza, was friends with Ziyal, "daughter" to Tekeny, and became a resistance fighter for Cardassia. I'd say she learned the lesson you mentioned.
This! Plus, I believe she also came to very much admire Damar. Kira's learning/healing arc is one of the best on this show. Most people with a past like hers would not be as willing to open their minds to loving or having sympathy for any Cadassian. But Kira did! That's amazing stuff.
It's weird, Kira on screen in DS9 I find to be good looking, but not even close to "super hot" status. However, when I met Nana Visitor at a signing event in London a few years ago I was struck by how attractive she was in "real life" as it were.
I'm surprised there isn't much recognition of Kira as a romantic character. There are so few good relationships in ST: they are either off camera (Sulu, Tuvok), short-lived (Marcus, Worf with K'Ehleyr and Jadzia Dax), complicated by career (virtually everyone Picard was involved with), or practically sabotaged by the characters discomfort with emotions and physicality (Seven of Nine, Torres, Data, T'Pol). There were good relationships on DS9--the O'Briens and, eventually, Sisko-Yates--but Kira's were the only to obtain any romantic depth. That's not to say that they were perfect relationships or that they were, in general, great representations of romance. However, they evolved against the backdrop of an evermore depressing narrative, without undermining Kira's basic character, and without making sex "weird." I think I feel the opposite way. Visitor is loopy, IMO; Farrell was the truly stunning beauty. However, the character and the performance greatly elevated her attractiveness.
I think the main problem there is, with the exception of Odo, Kira's boyfriends were boooooor-ing! I mean, were Bareil and Shakaar not two of the least interesting men ever to grace DS9?
When I was a teen I had completely inappropriate dreams about Jadzia and Kira. Then later on, Mirror Ezri joined the fun too . DS9 probably has the hottest main female cast in Trek. Original Uhura is alright, and I had a weird thing for M'Ress that brings my sanity in to further question, but I was never keen on Rand. TNG has the least hot female main cast by far, Voyager's aint much better. At least ENT upped the hotness factor with Hoshi and T'Pol. Nu-Uhura is completely unattractive to me, bad call JJ.