The problem with hate speech as insults aren't the words themselves.

It's that those words DO imply a negative view towards the groups that are represented through the words. It is almost impossible in this world to say something without any connotation, only denotation, and that's okay because as humans with goddamn brains we should be able to find ways to talk or debate or insult an individual without also insulting a large part of the population as well. When you call a fellow player a "retard, or f*ggot, or autistic," or any other word that addresses a large group of bystanders, your insult to the individual is also an insult to them. Even something as little as saying "man, that fizz troll-pole is really gay" out of frustration is still demeaning because you're (whether you like it or not) relating something you dislike, something you find reproachful, maybe disgusting, with the LGBT+ community. And while you might not care on the internet, if you use words like that as an insult no matter what your intentions were i'm still going to think you're a bigot or a racist or a homophobe because you don't want to try and improve your vocabulary.

tldr; find other ways to insult players besides already sensitive words.

extra: i've been downvoted before. i've been called a "typical libetard" for pointing out the difference between biological sex and gender. I don't care if this is bullshit tumblr propoganda. somebody is gonna disagree, but that doesn't make me wrong and them right.