From a forum post, regarding the publishing of Today's New International Version of the Bible (TNIV):
The big point of contention over the changes seems to be gender inclusiveness or whatever they are calling it this time round.
Several years ago the publisher's brought out the NIV(R), I think they called it, and World Magazine started a crusade to expose what they had done in the name of anti-sexism.
Dr. Dobson and the Southern Baptists joined the crusade and the publisher's backed off to some extent.
The involvement of my then pastor and myself in the effort is recorded on my essay website in the entry titled Person the Lifeboats, the Language is Sinking.
Most of the oposition to gender accuracy or gender inclusiveness has been based on sound principles of Bible translation.
But I believe that the issue is broader.
There are semantic, philosophical and theological issues to be considered.
The use of "man" and masculine pronouns in an inclusive sense seems to have been accepted in Hebrew, Greek, English, and as far as I know most other languages.
And to quote from the page linked above:
"But "gender accuracy" does not just do violence to the revealed nature of God and man, it directly assaults God's plan of salvation. Romans 5:12-21 reveals the truth of Adam's headship of the human race and its results, together with the possibility, through the headship of Christ, to receive eternal life. The use of masculine terms in an inclusive sense in the original languages of Scripture, and, as far as I know, in all languages, is, a providential additional witness that little girls may enjoy the incomparable blessings of being included in the crucified, risen, and exalted Man, the Son of Man, the Son of God, the last Adam, the second Man."
