I agree with your post except for one thing: There is nothing “gay” about them. It’s actually a very sad life when behind the walls of their own domiciles.
What they are is “homosexuals”. It’s what I always call them, unless I’m not feeling nice.
And I agree with the Gay/Homosexual thing. But we lost that word. It is forever tainted. So there is little point in fighting for it.
I get it that it’s a matter of principle and don’t disagree. But it is indeed forever lost to the English language.