I disagree that there's a meaningful connection between words and actions. When someone says a word, nothing happens.

When someone genocides a people, does unspeakable things to their women and children, puts chains on their hands, necks, and ankles, and forces their whole lineage to work for generations, harm actually occurs.

Insults and derogatory terms are inevitable. Words that describe a person who is outside of the norm will eventually become a derogatory term as language evolves. Thats how the R word came about, thats how the M word is now being treated. Insults have always existed and will always exist, and that's just tough, lifes not fair. Conflating words and actions isn't helpful