I already answered to this problem. Use \star instead of *. It seems
sub-optimal to prevent any emphasis markup because of a single
problematic character.
I mean this variable doesn't solve any problem. If one doesn't want Org
syntax to interfere with their contents in any way, then Org mode may
not be the appropriate major mode for the task.
Therefore, I said that, AFAIC, this variable could as well go away. From
my point of view, making it more prominent is counter-productive.
In the same category, there is `org-export-with-tables'.
By the way, it is already possible to prevent emphasis in a subtree
export:
* Subtree
:PROPERTIES:
:EXPORT_OPTIONS: *:nil
:END:
Kaushal Modi