I think people forget about Samus in Metroid. This proves that you can create a badass character, and it doesn't matter if it ends up being male or female. If Master Chief was female, it wouldn't matter. The games would all be just as good and revered by fans. If Uncharted had a female lead, it wouldn't matter.
Video game creators make games starring men because they're used to it. And, fankly, some of them are a bit immature and don't see women as equals. This certainly isn't a problem specific to this industry, it affects nearly every walk of life. But to engage in critical conversations in order to progress an issue is what moving any industry forward is all about.
It's time to grow up and realize that it's okay for a game to have a male sidekick and a woman hero. It'll be just as good (or bad) either way. It's up to us to evolve our perspectives in order to take gender "roles" out of the equation.
