That’s right, double down by blaming your mistakes on others’ courage.
As @WRQC527said, it had nothing to do with courage. It doesn’t matter if it has anything to do with sexuality and frankly that thought never occurred to me. Your choice of words was insulting, just as you intended it to be, and like every other intentional use of nicknames to put others down.
By the way, you might want to take it out of your signature.