Re, "Nice Guys:" Altruism does not work that way.
Also, "increasing popularity?" ...Correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't the "male gaze" been popular pretty much since the dawn of humanity, most notably in more patriarchal societies? This isn't some new phenomenon, and its prevalence isn't something new, either. The thing is, we're more aware of it, nowadays. We've got the internet, and its accessibility is bordering on universal. The generations alive today (and those of tomorrow) have access to a broader, deeper range of information than at any other point in human history. This allows us to really see just how wide-spread certain ideas are, to understand the true scope of that which is our nature as a species.
Its not the popularity that's increased, but our ability to see it on a global scale. The same thing applies to, say, the prevalence of crimes, or the levels of depravity to which certain religious organizations can reach. We see more, we hear more, but not necessarily because there is more, we've just got better access to it, now.