Sorry, for your Aunt.
I'll try to keep it short, since I like topics like this and have a lot of thoughts on it!
My wife and I both came from broken homes, my situation was no way as bad as hers and I was very lucky to have the family that I did.
The more people that are introduced the more that will have an interest. I've never viewed it as a male hobby, just thought that men were more interested in it. Just like cars, Mostly men, but there are female mechanics and race car drivers, just like anything else! My wife doesn't care to hunt, but loves to fish, more than I do!
That's cool about your uncle and coins! One of the worst thing that has ever happened to my wife...She collected coins, had a small binder of coins she bought and found. She never really knew her dad, he started coming around when we were older, because she was in bad car accident, and I believe he thought she was going to get money. She didn't get all that much and he stopped coming around as much. Anyhow, one of the first times he came around, she barely knew him. He mentioned it was Birthday, she ran in and grabbed her whole binder of coins and gave it to him!!!!!! The next week, he stopped by and bragged about how much he got at the pawn shop for them. Which was nothing!!!!!! That was the worst, and I haven't seen the same passion for coins from her since. She still looks at them but not the same interest.
As far as the stereo type we have? A lot of that came from a campaign to get females out of the work force. In this country there was a lot of thought and effort in that. During the wars there was a push to bring them from the farms and they also had to maintain the household and pay bills while men were at war. We also had a lot of manufacturing jobs that needed filled. The "propaganda" was designed to draw them in "Rosie the riveter" type stuff. After the war they needed to get them out of the work force, men were coming home and needed those jobs, another propaganda campaign came along to do this" leave it to beaver" type stuff, and this is where a lot of the stereotypes came from. Before all of that females were as tough as men. My Grandmother was still from the farms, She did yard work, maintained a garden or field, cut firewood, house maintenance, cleaned animals, pulled feathers, etc.......
All I know? Is after being around some of my wife's "Lady" friends, I've been trusted. Some will fill the stereo type while people are around, when certain company leaves they are no different! Just the same as guys! Wired a little different on certain things like our kids, but no different in all other topics. I've heard them talk just as bad as guys, show the same interests, etc...My wife can play it both ways. Be a lady around some of my family, cross her legs, put on the whole play of what's "expected". But!!! We get in the car to leave? ...."your hear what that old b... said to me? I'll knock her dentures down her throat, old fake a.. hag!" hahahaha We also have a "lady" in the neighborhood, a "southern belle". She hangs out with my wife and is real different around us. She can be herself!! She's no different than anyone else. But if you ask the neighborhood guys? Shes the perfect stereotype and most can't walk past her house without starting some bs conversation just to talk and look at her.

While she's hitting the bowl when no ones looking!
People are people....And some may shy from the hobby because of that, but I just don't know that many have been introduced to it!