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 In the spiritual world, all objects—both animate and inanimate—are fully conscious and possess personified forms. Thus, verses describing Krsna’s flute as male are not merely allegorical. In the Bhagavata Purana, the gopis exclaim among themselves as follows:

My dear gopis, what auspicious activities must the flute have performed to enjoy the nectar of Krsna’s lips independently and leave only a taste for us gopis, for whom that nectar is actually meant!
(Srimad Bhagavatam 10.21.9)

This verse is beautifully elaborated upon in the Sri Caitanya-caritamrta wherein Lord Gauranga, in the mood of Srimati Radharani, recites the following verses:

My dear Krsna, since You are a male, it is not very extraordinary that the attraction of Your lips can disturb the minds of women. But I am ashamed to say that Your impudent lips sometimes attract even Your flute, which is also considered male. It likes to drink the nectar of Your lips, and thus it also forgets all other tastes.

That flute is a very cunning male who drinks again and again the taste of another male’s lips. It advertises its qualities and says to the gopis, "O gopis, if you are so proud of being women, come forward and enjoy your property—the nectar of the lips of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”
(Sri Caitanya-caritamrta 3.16.123,125)

In Srila Narayana Maharaja’s rendition of the Venu-gita, a similarly beautiful elaboration of the aboveSrimad Bhagavatam verse can be found. Therein the gopis exclaim:

How is it that this venu always tastes the rasa of Krsna’s lips? Just see how Vrajendra-nandana Sri Krsna loves him. Sometimes He holds him in His hands, sometimes He kisses him, sometimes He keeps him tucked under His arm, sometimes in the folds of His waistband, and sometimes He sprinkles him with the nectar of His lips. O sakhi! If anyone in this entire Vrndavana is fortunate, it is surely this venu. By giving us birth as gopis, the Creator has deprived us of all our fortune. Alas! Why couldn’t we have taken birth as the venu?

Krsna’s adharamrta [the nectar of His lips] is our property only, but this venu is drinking all the nectar and snatching our share as well! Of this there is no doubt. Sakhi! Just see the evils of this venu—even after stealing someone else’s wealth, he is not even the least bit embarrassed or afraid. He is shamelessly tasting our wealth right before our very eyes, and with his deceptively sweet melody he even has the nerve to tease us by announcing, “Just see, O gopis! I have taken your wealth of Krsna’s adharamrta, and unrestrained, I am drinking the full rasa right in front of you! What can you do about it?”
(Venu-gita, pp. 49-51)