Ryan Murphy Defends Netflix Using the LGBTQ Category Tag on DAHMER – E! Online

Ryan Murphy has heard all of the criticism. 

The creator of DAHMER – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story—which was nominated for four Golden Globe Awards on Dec. 12—understands that many viewers and members of the queer community were disappointed with the series being listed under Netflix’s LGBTQ category tag upon its debut in September.

In response, the streamer removed the tag—which is usually saved for more uplifting content like Netflix Originals Heartstopper and Sex Education—just two days after the series, starring Evan Peters as the notorious serial killer, was released.

While Murphy recognizes where the anger came from, he’s not quite willing to compromise—and he points to DAHMER‘s subject matter as his rationale.

“It’s about homophobia,” he told Variety Dec. 12. “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.”

Murphy continued, “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.'”