See, in some ways I think FY's actually an improvement upon the average, because Miaka has a lot of agency - she makes the big decisions for her little group, and if there's a party in power in her relationship with Tamahome, it's her. When her frenemy Yui allows herself to be led, that's shown to be bad.

But the thing is that - and this is made pretty explicit - the things that make Miaka the heroine and Yui not-the-heroine are that Miaka's 1) inept and in need of protection, and 2) a virgin. Because these are both qualities laden with immense moral value, I guess.