Ryan Murphy addresses Dahmer backlash: ‘I understand it, but I also disagree’
"My job as an artist is to hold up a mirror about what happened".
Ryan Murphy, the creator of the Netflix series Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, has explained his stance on the backlash the show received.
Dahmer murdered 17 men and boys between 1978 and 1991. Families of some of Dahmer’s victims called the show “retraumatising”, while others complained about not being involved.
Speaking to Variety recently, Murphy said he reached out to over 20 families but heard nothing back. Instead, he relied on his research staff, who worked for three and a half years on the project.
An issue for many viewers was the inclusion of the LGBTQ tag when the show premiered on Netflix. Addressing this point, Murphy explained: “I think that it got the tag, one, because of my involvement.”
He also explained: “I’m a gay man, so most of my stories deal with some sort of LGBTQ thing and I do that selfishly. When I was growing up, I had nothing [to look to]. My mission statement has been to talk about those stories and those characters and unearth buried history.”
Netflix eventually removed the LGBTQ tag from Dahmer following the complaints, which Murphy disagreed with. He shares with Variety that he understands the desire from many in the LGBTQ community for uplifting content. However, he says he doesn’t agree with that, reaffirming his goal of spotlighting the homophobia at the time.
“I have a saying: ‘My job as an artist is to hold up a mirror about what happened.’ It’s ugly. It’s not pretty. Do you want to look at it? If you do, watch it. If you don’t, look away, and sometimes, some of this outrage is directed at the frame of the mirror instead of the reflection.
“I try and say, I really understand why you’re upset about the inclusion of that. I understand it, but I also disagree with it personally.”
Murphy, also behind shows such as Pose, American Horror Story, and Hollywood, has previously responded to criticism of Dahmer, explaining he wanted to highlight the racism and homophobia attached to the Dahmer case.
Upon the show’s release, Dahmer broke Netflix opening week streaming records. It became Netflix’s most-watched new series on record for week one of its release.
Despite criticism of the show, it scored an 83 percent fan rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It only garnered 57 percent from critics.
Much of Murphy’s work has indeed focused on long-ignored LGBTQ narratives. Over three seasons Pose was lauded for its portrayal of the New York ballroom scene of the 1980s and 90s. It featured the largest cast of transgender and non-binary actors ever to appear as series regulars on a scripted show.
In 2018 the Pose creator said he’d donate 100% of his profits from the show to LGBTQ charities.
Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story is available on Netflix now.