Killer Queers: A Content Analysis of Queer Serial Killers in the News

Abstract

This study examines how offenses by queer serial killers were addressed by law enforcement through the eyes of the media. The analysis focuses on infamous serial killers John Wayne Gacy and Jeffrey Dahmer to analyze how the criminal justice system handled their cases through news article documentation. The study aims to explore how the media shapes the narrative surrounding queer identities when they become offenders. The study discusses how homophobia serves as a driving force for upholding negative stereotypes of an entire community. The content analysis shows how the media responded to the serial killers in terms of their sexual identities.