Netflix’s Dahmer miniseries, created by Ryan Murphy, is no longer tagged with the label “LGBTQ” on the streaming service, after the company removed it following backlash from viewers.
Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story is categorized on Netflix’s platform with labels like “horror”, “vintage crime”, and “psychological” but had also featured the “LGBTQ” tag until last Friday.
According to Variety, the tag was officially removed by Sept. 23. Subscribers and viewers had previously taken to social media to protest the use of the label.
“This is not the kind of representation we want,” Twitter user @villanellescent pointed out. The LGBTQ tag has been applied to a range of content on Netflix, including Heartstopper, Sex Education, and Everything Sucks, but these shows overwhelmingly share a trend of uplifting and empowering storytelling.
The dramatized Dahmer examines the crimes of American serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer through the lens of victims and their families, with a particular focus on the failure of the justice system. The series debuted at number one on Netflix, with over 196 million hours viewed.
Despite the whopping viewership, the creators faced other controversies and criticism concerning the series. The families of victims have condemned the film, including Eric Perry, the cousin of Errol Lindsey, who was murdered by Dahmer in 1991. He wrote that it’s “retraumatizing over and over again” to have the story retold. Lindsey’s sister, who testified at Dahmer’s trial and is portrayed in the Netflix rendition of the story, also said she was “never contacted about the show”.
