We did this, blocked off the vent. And added a pantry

I clean dryer vents south of rt44 and I have seen it both ways. This female end out is actually better. A 4 inch flexible hose is commonly cut with three slits by installers to fit over the male end. Some hoses are to cheap they rip once past the slits. Or the clamp rips them. But even more common is the installer bending a small v in the house male end to make the circumference smaller and fit inside the 4 inch flexible hose. Great place to rip another hole in the flexible pipe. So, yes I prefer the female end out as the hole goes on square and clamp sits flush on flex pipe.

There is different qualities of flex, some are short and rigid. Some long and like tin foil on a spring. Clamps the villages used need to be tightened to where tabs almost touch, less than 1/16th in between tabs. Better worm clamps have about an inch or more left when snug.

As for lint gathering. Most homes are 8-12 foot of straight pipe. Some 10 models actually have a bend in the pipe in attic area and go 12-14 feet. I find most lint in the lines at the top where the flap box is. The lint in first two feet, it’s pretty even the entire length up, meaning the pipe doesn’t have gathering points. I clean with a brush from bottom to top before going on roof. Villages was recommending every 6 months. I say yearly.

I can’t give you my name or number as I got a warning yesterday for self promotion.