> I'd like to know what kinds of societal discourse is being held back when there are laws prohibiting disparagement or intimidation of people based on their membership in a group
This depends highly on what is being included under the umbrella of "disparagement of intimidation". Some claimed that James Damore's memo was disparagement, and others say that advocating against men who identity as women competing in women's sporting events is disparagement. Others try to put advocating for enforcement of existing immigration laws as disparagement and intimidation.
Once you define a forbidden category, people will try to abuse it to their advantage.
This depends highly on what is being included under the umbrella of "disparagement of intimidation". Some claimed that James Damore's memo was disparagement, and others say that advocating against men who identity as women competing in women's sporting events is disparagement. Others try to put advocating for enforcement of existing immigration laws as disparagement and intimidation.
Once you define a forbidden category, people will try to abuse it to their advantage.