In OoT everyone is sexist and ageist. That's the point. (Both men and women are very sexist) The carpenter's boss complains about men being "not real men." He yells at useless effeminate men and even his son, calling them worthless. Mido bullies Link because he's not a "real man." Darunia does the same. Ruto didn't want you're help because she was capable on her own. You have to force her to let you help her which causes her to suddenly expect you to carry her because that's how chivalry works right? The whole game is about a boy in a society that is stuck in a very stupidly sexist, ageist and racist world. And it rubs off on him and the player. That's the point. All the girls don't care about Link until he proves he's "cool" or his worth. And guys won't accept him until he does something "cool." As the player you're suppose to innocently witness the world like Link does and think about it without Link talking for you. You're suppose to take in how people and society are...weird and judge mental from a childlike perspective.How is Link representing me as a female player? Last I remember half the freaking cast of Ocarina of Time gives him "do me eyes" at some point (as I, at the same time, rolled my own mine).
I feel like saying that Link is supposed to "represent the player" a big misnomer then when it really, really matters to people that he stays a fella.
For brand purposes, I think it would be best they make Zelda less useless and playable* than give us the option to change Link... for one, I think that decision would provide less fandom headaches than the alternative of a Fem-Link.
*Yes, more than in Spirit Tracks... a roll that anyone could have similarly fulfilled as Casper the Friendly Ghost. And more than in non-canon titles like Smash Bros and Hyrule Warriors... Shit, i think her magic-oriented attacks would make a great adjunct to a somewhat stale series
The only character who breaks the mold is the wisest person of them all. Adult Zelda. She's the only one who bases things on wisdom instead of tradition. She counters the obsession of being a "real man" by pretending to be one herself. This was obviously a way to confuse the crap out of everything you had previously learned on your journey. And at the end she doesn't reward Link or call him cool. They don't make out or live together forever after. She tells him this "male power fantasy" is wrong, and then tells Link to be who he is instead of being what everyone told him to be. She essentially reveals how deceived Link has been by falling in line with a common way of thinking. Stop following "fate" and be free to be yourself. Soooo, the moral of the story is actually very feminine and wise and smart and progressive. Link then goes back in time and lives life without being a hero and instead lives for himself like Zelda advised. Link wasn't mature at all still which causes Majora's Mask to happen.
Silent Hill 2 is also an extremely feminist story despite having a dude. The dude is a witness with the player. They learn together.
I think both Koizumi and Aonuma like the idea of breaking tradition but also feel bound by it...which is kind of what the Zelda series is about. :/