Many subscribers reached out to the streaming platform for the use of the title of the true-crime limited series.
The tag was among many categories that were initially used to categorize the series featuring the serial killer of Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan alongside labels such as “dark,” “horror” and “vintage crime.” The viewers were aware and expressed their opinions on social media: “Anyone else thinks it’s quite disgusting of Netflix to include Dahmer under LGBTQ and Ian Brennan, particularly in the event that it’s possible that the True Crime tag would have been effective?” read one relevant tweet.
A popular TikTok clip shared a similar opinion in a post that noted that the show was “not the type of representation we’re searching at.” Netflix subsequently removed the category tag.
The Hollywood Reporter has requested Netflix for its opinion.
Dahmer was gay and so were many of his victims, however, Netflix usually employs the LGBTQ tag for shows that offer more diverse perspectives of the LGBTQ community, such as Sex Education, Uncoupled as well as Heartstopper. On the afternoon of Wednesday, Monster was classified under “crime,” “ominous,” “psychological” and “horror.”
The show is also being criticized by the family of one of the victims. In an article written for In the Insider, Rita Isbell — daughter of Errol Lindsey, who Dahmer shot dead in 1991she wrote that “it annoyed me” to read her statement on the impact of the victim from the murder trial of 1992 that was dramatized on the show.
“I could be able to understand if they offered the part of the money to the children of the victims. … They have grandchildren and children,” Isbell wrote. “If the show was beneficial to them in any way, it shouldn’t be like a cruel and reckless act. It’s unfortunate that they’re making money from this tragic event. It’s all just greed.”
Dahmer Monster was one of Netflix’s most-watched series during the week of September. 19-25 (it premiered on September. 21,). The streaming service said its viewers around the world have spent over 196 million hours viewing the series during its debut week.
