As someone who is often seduced by psychological horror, I knew it was only a matter of time before I watched Netflix’s latest trending show, “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.” Growing up in Cleveland near Dahmer’s childhood home in Bath, Ohio, I was always perplexed by this gruesome story and its horrifying origins. 

However even I, a fan of horror films, found this show to be utterly unbearable to watch. After viewing the first two episodes and watching interactions between Dahmer and his victims it was clear I was too emotionally invested to continue. What makes this depiction so intensely sickening is how it highlights the numerous circumstances that Dahmer was almost caught but was ultimately left alone due to homophobia and racial discrimination in the police force. 

This got me wondering, will America ever get past the fascination with Jeffrey Dahmer? Even two weeks after its release the show remains number 1 on Netflix’s top ten trending. In addition to this, sympathetic depictions of Jeffrey Dahmer have been circulating online, especially on social media platforms like Tik Tok.   

This is problematic for a multitude of reasons. One being that the show dehumanizes and disrespects Dahmer’s victims by filming intimate interactions before their death. The second, and most disturbing, being that the more film adaptations of Dahmer that are made, the easier it becomes to sympathize with him. Stories like the Netflix series that provide a deep dive into Dahmer’s early life often highlight his traumatic beginnings. 

This was seen through the Ross Lynch portrayal of Dahmer in the 2017 film adaptation of the novel “My Friend Dahmer.” When examining Dahmer’s early life, in retrospect, it is clear there is a family history of mental illness and substance abuse.

However, when re-examining his situation, it is easy to forget that Dahmer isn’t someone deserving of the benefit of the doubt. What audiences must remember is that Dahmer brutally murdered and ate his many victims. This alone is reason enough to not glorify his story through film and TV adaptations. 

Overall, I would encourage viewers to proceed with caution. The story of Jeffrey Dahmer, while at times may be intriguing, personally affected many families of color in addition to LGBTQ community as a whole. Giving Dahmer more media attention is not only insensitive, but also morally wrong.