I think the problem with continually changing the words we use to describe a state of being as a reaction to individuals abusing the use of those words is that it doesn't address any of the actual issues: ignorance, cruelty, misinformation, discrimination... sometimes outright fear?

I actually would point to the use of the word retarded in this sense.
The word retarded has been a legitimate diagnostic term for quite a long time. Since it originated in the Latin language, this makes quite a bit of sense. But the recent movement to change the diagnostic language from "retarded", "mentally retarded", "retardation" and "mental retardation" to all kinds of variations of "intellectual disability" or "intellectually disabled".

I fail to see, in the long run, how this actually will help anyone.
You are changing the word, but not the people. They will catch on.

In WWII, because of local practice in Africa, German soldiers considered it good luck to run over fresh camel dung with their tanks. When the allies got wind of this, they began putting land mines in the piles of fresh camel dung. As the mines became more frequent, the Germans adjusted their "luck" practices and only ran over piles that were older. The allies, noticing the change, proceeded to adjust their plans and focused on those piles as well.

Everyone adjusts.
If you don't get at the root of the behavior, everyone will continue to fling crap. People who are afraid or ignorant or downright malicious don't much care if it's new crap or old crap.