Link as an avatar representing the player has always been bs to me. I mean he is a blank slate but then not really. He has his own reactions to things, he apparently talks, you can't change his appearance and looks like no one but Peter Pan. He's his own character more or less. The idea that we could get a female Link so ladies can play as themselves is also bs for the same reasons. With that said I would love a female Link because I like the idea of more female leads in video games.
Playing as the opposite sex Link with the same body type won't change anything gameplay wise and I think thats fine. I've seen people argue that it ruins the integrity of the whole franchise or some other such nonsense but please, if the hero's spirit wants to inhabit a girl during one of the legends then so be it. Makes lots of other people happy, makes plenty of sense lore wise and anyone who doesn't want it doesn't have to do it.
Linkle was probably given the go ahead to test the reactions to players in a spin off that could probably handle the potential backlash that the main series wouldn't want to be associated with.
Linkle is tied with Waluigi for the worst name given to a Nintendo character.
EDIT
As for voice acting I say do it. Pikmin works just fine with it's alien language and subtitles but it's time Zelda catches up with the rest of the world. This big ol' super inviting(at first glance) open world, female option for playable character and voice acting would catch the eyes of the world again. Even if it's only superficial crap that doesn't change how we play, stuff like that changes the perception to outsiders who can't be bothered to read a book or just enjoy well done voice work in their games.
The motion controls in Skyward Sword to me are absolutely wonderful, it's a shame that that alone didn't catch on more than a controversial hot topic on forums. But thats not what the rest of the consumers will pay attention to anymore, they want punch, pizzaz, yahoo and wow. Zelda stopped being the most epic and grandest of all things with Wind Waker, then with Twilight Princess I figured thats all it was ever gonna be. Fake open worlds and no voice acting alone probably made Zelda look dated in comparison to other big budget titles out there. It's not nearly as revered as it once was.
It's a shallow response to what gamers are looking for but that doesn't make it wrong. Give us the gameplay we all know and love with some great new features and present it with some amazing production values. I think the perception of Zelda beyond Nintendo loyalists would really turn around with a female option, open world and voice acting. I say go for it. Throw a bird in there as well, I want to fly again.