Theological differences between Protestant denominations can vary widely, so I'm not sure you can say there's one "Protestant belief" about the Virgin Mary. Beyond which, the "official stance" of each denomination on this issue isn't necessarily clear. In general, though, I think it's fair to say that Protestants simply do not focus as much on Mary as Catholics do. Protestant denominations tend not to deify the Virgin Mary as much as Catholicism. Some Catholics seem to ascribe a level of divinity to Mary not far short of God Himself... performing miracles, answering prayers, that sort of thing. Protestants take a more "only what's in the Bible" appraoch. "(Jesus) was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary," according to the Apostle's Creed. Beyond that, Mary was the wife of Joseph and makes a few brief appearances in the Gospels, including at the Crucifixion. Protestants do not pray to Mary, or to the patron saints of any particular sphere of influence for that matter. From what I understand, the "official" Catholic perspective is that Mary remained a Virgin until her death, while Protestant denominations are much more open to the idea that Mary and Joseph had other children together after Jesus was born. I don't know for sure what each separate denomination's "official" stance on the issue is (and I'm sure not all denominations hold the same view), but you'll find Protestants much more open to the idea that Mary did not remain a virgin. Also, some older Catholic traditions hold that Mary herself was Immaculately conceived and not subject to original sin. I don't know if that idea exists in modern Catholicism, but I haven't heard of any Protestant denominations with this view.

Betasig's answer is mostly correct. As a Baptist, I don't consider myself a protestant, but I am far closer in theology to protestants than to Catholics. We Baptists believe that Mary was the mother of Jesus. She concieved Jesus by the power of God. God never slept with her, and she also was born from a woman. The God who created man by speaking him into existance could certainly speak Mary into pregnancy. She was the only woman in the world past or present to be impregnated without sex. Mary was favored over all women because God chose her to bear and raise Jesus. No other reason.She was favored, or blessed because she bore the saviour of mankind. She is no different than any other mother, honored because of her sacrafice for her son, loved for her love to him. We love Jesus because He first loved us, and we love our mothers because they first loved us too. A person to be honored, certainly, but she has no power to answer prayer, and no authority in Heaven that any other woman does not have. In short, we believe what the Bible says. Nothing more, nothing less. I am very sure that the beliefs of Protestants are the same. I know for fact that Presbyterians, Lutherans, and most Methodists agree. Bunker, Rev 12 says the woman was sent into the wilderness to hide from the dragon while still pregnant. it makes no mention of her as queen of Heaven. It tells of the dragon trying to persecute her, and drown her, but the earth helped by swallowing up the water the serpent spit at her.It says she was given the wings of an eagle so she could fly above the earth and escape the dragon. No where in Rev 12 does it say Mary is the queen. The only place in the Bible that mentions the"queen of heaven" is in the book of Jeremiah. Do you really want to worship this queen? Jeremiah 44:18 But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine. Again, The queen of Heaven title is used by a false Christ. READ Jeremiah 44. This description of Mary you keep clinging to does not make her a queen. She is a Saint of God, I agree. So am I and so is every other saved Christian. She is a favored woman, and so is every other saved woman. She is not Jesus wife, as she would be if she were the queen, she is His mother. Jesus far outgrew her telling Him what to do at about 12 years of age. Luke 2:49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? That answer to my question of where were you would have got my son a beating, but not Jesus, He was God. Back to your goofy argument that the catholic church was the first church...UGGGH! So your contention is that there was no Christian church between Christ's death and the 3rd century, when the catholic bunch finally got around to organizing? Oh.wait, you say that Peter was the first pope. So if that were true, then think you not, Peter, John ,Matthew, Mark, Luke, Paul, Timothy, Barnabas, or even Ol Doubting Thomas might have called him that? If you can show me that, in scripture, not catachism, MAYBE I Might begin to believe it is possible. Right now, sorry Charlie, but only real tuna can be chicken of the sea. I can't recall ever reading of a Bible character calling Peter "your eminence", holy father, or offering to build a pope-mobile....Paul was a tentmaker, maybe if Peter was the pope, Paul could have made the first Vatican...

Mary was highly favored by God...she wasn't sinless. (All have sinned and fall short of glory) She was the mother of Jesus. Unlike Catholics, we don't say that she's the mother of God. She is specifically the mother of Jesus. Calling her the mother of God is separating the human element of Jesus. I am part of the Church Of God In Christ...so this issue is kind of important to me. She was a virgin when she gave birth to our Lord and savior. Nobody does it like the Holy Ghost does it! He has a way of getting into people and changing things around for the better. People gotta realize what time period we're talking about. If Mary and Joseph were getting jiggy wit it before hand it would have been traveling all around the place, and more importantly...God wouldn't have chosen her. He wanted somebody who hasn't gone there and everybody knew that she didn't. He wanted a situation where people would have to be like.."She's pregnant? God had to have done it! We have a God of faith. He gives us situations right in front of our eyes, but a lot of people still have trouble believing.