Unusual Ethernet Question

I have an unusual ethernet question and was hoping someone might be able to make suggestions.

Background: I'm working on a modular MAME cabinet that involves using ethernet cables as wiring connectors into a wall plate in the cabinet. The way it works is that I strip down the ethernets, connect wires to the directions on the controls, which connects to a female/female passthrough, and do the same on the other side into the control board. I.e. I connect Green to the Up direction, Stripe Orange to the down direction, and do the same on the control board.

But I've run in to an issue. The control board is getting different signals than what I expected. I've tested the board (and actually used two different ones) so I'm sure it's not the board, it's something in the wiring. I've even seen some *really* weird behavior where Orange sends one signal when Blue isn't connected, and a different signal when it is.

Specifics:

The cables I'm using are RJ45 with the 568a configuration. I'm not sure what these couplers are doing though, I took one apart and looked at the numbering on the little PCB inside and I thought it was reversing the pins, but testing disproved that theory.

So my question is: Do female/female couples usually act as pass-through, or do they swap pin order and should I be thinking of a pattern like what's used with a couple cable?