What is a gender?

If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn’t. And contrary-wise; what it is it wouldn’t be, and what it wouldn’t be, it would. You see?

Braden Holtby, taping his goalie stick for Pride Night 2019.

He also had multiple opportunities to use such language to insult or bully Steve but be didn't. Nor anyone else. He calls Steve a "Bitch" and "Pretty Boy". That's about it.

But do you know who does use homophobic language, specifically towards Billy? His father. The only interaction we see between Billy and Neil he uses these words against him, knowing it will work because he's been doing it for years.

Now, normally kids who get abused by their parents use what has been done to them against others, just as Billy does with Max and people in general but he doesn't use homophobic language. His dislike of Lucas probably comes from his father's views but you don't see him calling Steve anything homophobic or targeting possibly queer characters like he did Lucas.

It's as if such language has a personal affect on him and so he doesn't use it against people, because he understands how it feels.