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*The following article contains discussion of sexual assault
There truly are no limits to what social media users will get thirsty over—even serial killers, if some of the response to Netflix's series about Jeffrey Dahmer, Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, is any indication.
As the Netflix series captured social media's attention, many on TikTok began making videos lusting after actor Evan Peters as Dahmer, and even feeling sorry for the notorious murderer, who killed and in some cases assaulted and cannibalized at least 17 gay men and teens in Milwaukee in the 1970s, 80s and 90s.
In TikToks like the one below, which shows part of a Monster scene in which Peters as Dahmer shows off his abs to seduce one of his victims, people confess to finding Dahmer downright thirst-enducing.
@thelovelyloganblair forgive me 😂😂#dahmer #evanpeters #sofineforwhat
User @thelovelyloganblair admitted in her onscreen text that this was a sort of forbidden attraction, writing:
"like I know Dahmer is about a serial killer.... but the clutch Evan Peters had me in with this scene."
Other TikTokers have stopped short of thirst and instead expressed that they actually felt sorry for Dahmer after watching the series because of the mix of trauma and mental illness that may have contributed to his crimes.
@auntiesjx I can’t be the only one? #fyp #jeffreydahmer #dahmer #phycology #empathy #stockholmsyndrome #serialkillee
As TikToker @auntiesjx put it:
"In my heart I feel really sorry for [Dahmer]. I feel really sorry for you that you're that lonely that this is the lengths that you go for wanting to feel close to somebody..."
"He was Lucifer himself, why do I feel sorry for him?"
Everyone's entitled to their opinions of course, but these aren't exactly the expected takes on... well, a monster, as the series' title suggests.
Accordingly, other TikTokers are calling them out as in the video seen below, in which TikToker @blackkout____ calls a woman out for feeling sorry for the way Dahmer himself died, by being brutally bludgeoned to death in prison.
@blackkout___ Im lost for words #dahmer
In his take, @blackkout____ pointed out that the majority of Dahmer's victims were people of color, adding a disturbing racial element to his already horrifying crimes. As he put it while addressing the TikToker who felt sorry for Dahmer:
"So you were completely fine... watching this serial killer dehumanize, drug, sexually assault and ultimately kill his victims, most of which were Black, brown or members of the LGBTQ+ community."
"But when said serial killer is killed himself, that's when you shed your first tear?"
And it's not just TikTok either. The trend of humanizing Dahmer either through thirst or empathy has been seen on Twitter as well, and has left many disturbed.
\u201c\u201cI feel a little sorry for Jeff Dahmer\u201d well congrats you are insane.\ud83d\udc4d\ud83c\udffc\u201d— N e r d y s a g e . \ud83e\udeac (@N e r d y s a g e . \ud83e\udeac) 1664394771
\u201cJeffrey Dahmer molested and murdered people, mostly black men and boys. So to see people making edits and thirst traps of him is a little off putting\u201d— taurus girl (@taurus girl) 1664080926
\u201ci feel like the people who giggle about and thirst for dahmer all block out that it all literally happened in the 1980-90s and that he is not from a bygone era like some jack the ripper. their brains don't register that the victim's families are still around and affected by this\u201d— CARO DAY\ud83c\udf82\u203c\ufe0f (@CARO DAY\ud83c\udf82\u203c\ufe0f) 1664538195
\u201cYou are sick in the head if you have an ounce of sympathy for Jeffrey dahmer I watched a couple episodes and I couldn\u2019t finish it because of how disturbing and gruesome it was one of his victims was 14 damn it how could you feel bad for him\u201d— jas (@jas) 1664311722
\u201cBestie, are you okay? You haven't touched your serial killer thirst trap show that exploits the emotional vulnerability of the victim's families in a twisted attempt by Ryan Murphy to make Jeffery Dahmer sexy in ages.\u201d— Cassandra Roxburgh \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f ska punk supremacy (@Cassandra Roxburgh \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f ska punk supremacy) 1664289449
\u201cI cannot believe this has to be said, but under NO circumstances should you post thirst tweets about the serial rapist Jeffery Dahmer. He is a real person who tortured and killed real people.\u201d— meat boy \u26a7\ufe0e is in kyle's fridge. (@meat boy \u26a7\ufe0e is in kyle's fridge.) 1664117197
\u201cPeople really sat and watched queer black and brown boys murdered each episode to say they feel sorry Dahmer?\u201d— Tefaree (@Tefaree) 1664316686
\u201cFriendly reminder\nNetflix is profiting off trauma.\nEvan has other roles to thirst over.\nDahmer isn't hot,neither is Evan Peter playing him.\nIt's not cool or quirky to find that hot,it's just gross and werid.\u201d— Klitz/Edward/Howie\ud83e\uddb4 (@Klitz/Edward/Howie\ud83e\uddb4) 1664287946
\u201cIf you make thirst traps of Jeffery Dahmer, a man who molested and killed men and boys (mostly POC)-unfollow me, leave the internet and go get therapy.\u201d— Missing Werewolf (@Missing Werewolf) 1664410628
\u201cplease tell me why i just saw a jeffrey dahmer thirst trap edit on my timeline. ikyfl\u201d— gemini girl (@gemini girl) 1664291929
Monster has been controversial from the start, as many, including some of Dahmer's victims' families, have accused Netflix and show creator Ryan Murphy of sensationalizing and capitalizing off of Dahmer's sadistic crimes.
If you or someone you know experienced sexual assault, help is out there. You can reach the RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline by calling 1-800-656-4673, use their Live Chat tool: https://www.rainn.org/get-help, or visit the National Sexual Violence Resource Center’s website.
In Canada, help is available through the Ending Violence Association of Canada website.
International resources can be found through the Rape Crisis Network Europe website.