The subject of this article is controversial and content may be in dispute. When updating the article, be bold, but not reckless. Feel free to try to improve the article, but don't take it personally if your changes are reversed; instead, come here to the talk page to discuss them. Content must be written from a neutral point of view. Include citations when adding content and consider tagging or removing unsourced information.
Jeffrey Dahmer was a Social sciences and society good articles nominee, but did not meet the good article criteria at the time. There may be suggestions below for improving the article. Once these issues have been addressed, the article can be renominated. Editors may also seek a reassessment of the decision if they believe there was a mistake.
This article is within the scope of WikiProject Biography, a collaborative effort to create, develop and organize Wikipedia's articles about people. All interested editors are invited to join the project and contribute to the discussion. For instructions on how to use this banner, please refer to the documentation.BiographyWikipedia:WikiProject BiographyTemplate:WikiProject Biographybiography articles
This article is within the scope of WikiProject Crime and Criminal Biography, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of Crime and Criminal Biography articles on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.Crime and Criminal BiographyWikipedia:WikiProject Crime and Criminal BiographyTemplate:WikiProject Crime and Criminal BiographyCrime-related articles
This article is of interest to WikiProject LGBT studies, which tries to ensure comprehensive and factual coverage of all LGBT-related issues on Wikipedia. For more information, or to get involved, please visit the project page or contribute to the discussion.LGBT studiesWikipedia:WikiProject LGBT studiesTemplate:WikiProject LGBT studiesLGBT articles
This article is within the scope of WikiProject Wisconsin, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of the U.S. state of Wisconsin on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.WisconsinWikipedia:WikiProject WisconsinTemplate:WikiProject WisconsinWisconsin articles
This article is within the scope of WikiProject United States, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of topics relating to the United States of America on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the ongoing discussions.
This article has been viewed enough times in a single year to make it into the Top 50 Report annual list. This happened in 2022, when it received 54,931,777 views.
This article has been viewed enough times in a single week to appear in the Top 25 Report12 times. The weeks in which this happened:
This article has been viewed enough times to make it onto the all-time Top 100 list. It has had 88 million views since December 2007.
Attraction to a specific body-type doesn't discredit allegations of racism[edit]
Under "Victims," the article states that Dahmer's crimes weren't racially motivated because of the findings of an "independent forensic specialists' study of Dahmer's victim selection." This explanation isn't sufficient as the study only says that he was attracted to a certain body-type, not that race was irrelevant to him. Sexual preference for a specific physical look and racism aren't diametrically opposed. In fact, there's often overlap. Tryingtomaketheworldbetter (talk) 06:21, 21 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]
He did not kill them because he hated the color of their skin. CJC-DI (talk) 16:35, 21 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Perhaps he picked them cause he didn't have much respect for blacks...terrible..they were really nice guys 92.8.214.18 (talk) 14:30, 9 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Note 22 seems to address this issue quite neatly. I'm not sure any more is needed. Martinevans123 (talk) 14:40, 9 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]
The caption has now had "(center right)" added here. I don't think that solves the problem. Which figure is he? How do we know that's him? The image uploader, Aiwass21, claims that image is "own work", but gives no details about where Dahmer is depicted. Thanks. Martinevans123 (talk) 09:27, 13 June 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Aiwass21, I wonder could you please respond here before re-adding that text to the caption? Many thanks. Martinevans123 (talk) 13:33, 13 June 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Hi, Martinevans123. Dahmer is in the lower right of the image directly in front of the individual holding the loudhailer or tuba instrument. He's depicted in a "Doing a Dahmer" posture.--Kieronoldham (talk) 18:05, 13 June 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Ah thanks, now I see. But I'm not sure how the reader would know that just from "center right". I'm not sure how to improve that signposting. I was also wondering about the copyright status of the image, as Aiwass21 has uploaded it as "own work", which seems somewhat surprising. Martinevans123 (talk) 18:24, 13 June 2024 (UTC)[reply]
I didn't realise Aiwass21 has uploaded it as "own work". Surely this will be addressed by the editor.--Kieronoldham (talk) 18:27, 13 June 2024 (UTC)[reply]
The drawing is by Derf Backderf. It also appears in his book "My Friend Dahmer". CJC-DI (talk) 03:43, 14 June 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Ah thanks. I see that book has its own article at My Friend Dahmer. I had anticipated that the image would soon be nominated for deletion as a violation of copyright. But I now see that Aiwass21 has now clarified, at the upload page, that it is not copyright protected. Martinevans123 (talk) 08:11, 14 June 2024 (UTC) p.s. the image might be a useful addition at My Friend Dahmer?[reply]
Personally I believe the image would serve a better purpose on that article as opposed to the Jeffrey Dahmer one, Martinevans123.--Kieronoldham (talk) 20:15, 14 June 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Have removed the image and added it to the Derf Backderf page, Martinevans123. Hopefully Aiwass21 has no issue as, to my mind, the illustration somewhat trivializes this article.--Kieronoldham (talk) 21:51, 16 June 2024 (UTC)[reply]
I don't recall hearing Dahmer being called "Milwaukee Monster", and the source given appears to be drawing from this Wikipedia article. Is it a case of a circular ref? Even if it is not circular, was the use of this moniker widespread? Abductive (reasoning) 21:15, 16 June 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Not as widespread as "Milwaukee Cannibal", but he is known as the "Milwaukee Monster" too. There is even a book with that title.--Kieronoldham (talk) 21:44, 16 June 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Ah, so then there is a possibility that it is not a moniker—that it does not deserve to be in the lead, bolded. Rather, it is a book title that is not used in regular parlance? Abductive (reasoning) 21:51, 16 June 2024 (UTC)[reply]
The Biography citation is from 2023. The bolded term appears in this article before that. Therefore, under WP:CHALLENGE I challenged it. I will remove it from the article. Please provide a citation that is non-circular. Abductive (reasoning) 23:06, 16 June 2024 (UTC)[reply]
I am also concerned that the Fido book does not appear to contain the term. What is needed is a secondary source that attests to the use of the term as a moniker or nickname, not that just uses it in the course of the writing. In other words, I am sure that somebody has strung together the words "Milwaukee monster" when talking or writing about Dahmer, but is it what he is called, the way that "Son of Sam" means David Berkowitz? Abductive (reasoning) 23:16, 16 June 2024 (UTC)[reply]