I wonder if there is another factor at play. (FYI-this is all my opinion, I didn’t read it anywhere I can remember, but it is something I have noticed in my thankfully long life...I didn’t get this out of a book!)
Embedded in the normal male psyche is the reluctance to inflict violence or directly compete with females.
Somewhere inside of men, there is an an element that does not want direct completion or conflict with females, because...we want to get closer to them, rather than drive them away. (or at least that is how it used to be)
I wonder if men are just checking out against direct conflict with females, and if that has anything to do with it.
Just speculating.
Interesting thought. It sounds plausible at least!