Why is the gender debate so contentious?

I have frequently wondered why the gender debate among Christians has become so contentious? Is it simply that any disagreement has the potential for much heat to be produced, but there is a time span during Church history before a disagreement is allowed to be simply that, without hindering spiritual unity, risking deeper hurt to the Church? We've had many contentious debates that I can recall over many centuries (you all didn't know I was that old?!): mode of baptism; Calvinism vs. Arminianism; cessationism vs. continuationism; eschatalogy; whether or not a believer in Christ needs to go through a Jewish rite first; Bible versions; Christian pacifism vs. belief in "just" wars; what happens to the elements of the sacrament (ordinance) during communion, Sabbatarianism vs. Sunday worship; etc.

Have any of you wondered about the intensity of this debate? If so, do you have any ideas why there is such intensity? And let's not chalk it up to misogyny or immaturity on the part of anyone or liberalism or any other motive about which we are unable to divine the motives of others.