The only fittings of those types I've used are on tractors and diggers.Generally, the female is connected to the machine, while the male is connected to the attachment, on the end of the pipe, so your picking up the male, and shoving it into the bolted down female. In fact, I can't think of anything I've used which is the other way.
It's not really the flow, because the oil flows both ways in those pipes. I guess it's more the fact that the male end is lighter, with less moving parts, and if it gets dropped in the dirt, it's easier to clean.
I'll avoid making jokes about how it's just more natural to pick up the male end and ram it in the female......
Edit: As you say, it could be about price too. The female is more complex, so it stays with the pump/ machine, then the cheaper male can be fitted to a variety of attachments.