Mothering Sunday was originally for people to return to their Mother church for a service, ie the one where they grew up with and were christened/baptised in. As most people moved away for work even a couple of hundred years ago.
The fact that it has now been completely construed to something else means that all other changes and objections to them are mute, including those on gender. If you are going to preach on the sanctity of an event or holiday then stay absolutely true to it's meaning rather than its polluted version.
I also have the same feelings on using the religious argument against equal rights for those with less than conventional sexualities. If you are going to use the book to argue one point, then you should stay true to all of its teachings and rules. Have a read of Leviticus and Timothy and think again about how rigid we should hold ourselves to it.
All very right and true Guffer!
I would also add that Mothering Sunday, in the modern form, let alone all the other events of the calendar that encourage the sending of cards etc, are nothing more than 'commercial opportunities', that I was once part, of to generate additional profits for your retail company. Halloween for instance I saw over 20 years go from nothing to a major commercial event, which certainly helped me achieve greater bonuses!!
The general public are completely taken by these events, regardless of gender, or no gender, as it makes them feel good and it is the social norm. If people who are religious truly followed, say Christian, teachings they would give the money they spend on cards and trinkets to charity. But we are all human and for many of us, including me, the temptations to enjoy the 'events' are just too great!