What you describe reminds me of arguments about whether "TERF" is a slur (and therefore objectionable) or just a straightforward description a specific political stance.
Ironically, the "Radical" in "TERF" was never intended to be disparaging, but rather as a descriptive label within Radical Feminism. In fact, it could almost be read as begrudging respect from the perspective of non-TE radical feminists. Of course, the term "TERF" has now become so generic that the "R" is almost always a misnomer (and to a certain extent at arguable degrees so is the "F").