I think you’re overstating the ‘mainstream’ position. A quick look at how non‑Roman Catholics interpret Revelation 12:1-6 shows that the woman is overwhelmingly understood broadly as God’s covenant people, not Mary.
One can look and find sources that don’t interpret her as Mary on at least one level, or that even emphasize that the woman in Revelation is the church and only secondarily Mary, which actually is the Catholic and Orthodox interpretation, which is the majority of Christians.
I think you’re overstating the ‘mainstream’ position. A quick look at how non‑Roman Catholics interpret Revelation 12:1-6 shows that the woman is overwhelmingly understood broadly as God’s covenant people, not Mary.
One can look and find sources that don’t interpret her as Mary on at least one level, or that even emphasize that the woman in Revelation is the church and only secondarily Mary, which actually is the Catholic and Orthodox interpretation, which is the majority of Christians.