The new Netflix docuseries “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” is a huge success for the streaming platform, but some fans were upset with how it was tagged in their library.
Initially, the story of one of America’s most notorious serial killers came up under the “LGBTQ” tag, along with other titles such as “Heartstopper,” “Sex Education,” and “AJ the Queen,” the Los Angeles Times reported. But now, Netflix has changed that after getting a lot of backlash via social media.
“If I need to stay in my lane absolutely tell me but anyone else think it’s pretty gross of @netflix to list Dahmer under #LGBTQ, especially when the True Crime tag would have worked?,” writer Frances Danger tweeted just after the series premiere.
A TikTok user conceded that even though it’s “technically true” the series qualified as LGBTQ because Dahmer was gay, that doesn’t make it right. “This is not the representation we’re looking for,” the poster continued.
As of Tuesday, Netflix had removed the LGBTQ tag and classified “Monster” as “Crime TV Shows” and “Social Issue Drama,” the publication reported.
This isn’t the only controversy that the new Dahmer series faces. Prior to its release, some critics claimed “Monster” never should have been made in the first place because it exploited gay, black men, who were the main targets of the real-life serial killer.
The cousin of one of the victims posted to Twitter claiming the series brought up negative feelings for their family.
“I’m not telling anyone what to watch, I know true crime media is huge rn, but if you’re actually curious about the victims, my family (the Isbell’s) are pissed about this show. It’s retraumatizing over and over again, and for what? How many movies/shows/documentaries do we need?” Eric Perry tweeted the day after the series debuted, as The Daily Wire previously reported.
“Like recreating my cousin having an emotional breakdown in court in the face of the man who tortured and murdered her brother is WILD. WIIIIIILD,” Perry shared alongside side by side clips from real-life courtroom footage and scenes from the docuseries.
Former Milwaukee District Attorney Michael McCann, who prosecuted Dahmer in the 90s, also criticized “Monster” for portraying law enforcement as turning a blind eye to crimes against gay and black men. Per TMZ, McCann says that wasn’t how the case was handled in real life.