Netflix Deals Devastating Blow To Lesbian Community, Cancels ‘Ultimatum: Queer Love’

In a devastating blow to the queer community and our passion for trash and judging other people’s relationships despite our own myriad personal flaws and spotty relationship histories, Netflix has cancelled the queer Ultimatum spinoff,The Ultimatum: Queer Love. This comes after two absolutely bananas seasons that provided endless conversational fodder for endless lesbian group chats throughout the summers of 2023 and 2025.

The original, heterosexual edition of The Ultimatum will continue to air.

As Marita poignantly pointed out in Season Two of The Ultimatum: Queer Love, “we’re never promised a tomorrow,” and that has never been more true than it iis right now as we realize there will be no more tomorrow for a show that I swear was one of the most popular shows on Netflix the month it debuted! However, it was not an easy show to cast.

One could argue that The Ultimatum: Queer Love was “bad” and not a good representation of our community but one could also argue that it was entertaining, and we deserve a treat.

aj and brittney dancing

Unfortunately this does come at a time when it’s harder than it’s been in a while to get new, queer stuff green-lit. Previous queer-inclusive reality dating shows have never lasted beyond two seasons. I Kissed a Girl was renewed for Season 2, though, so that’s something to think about.

Even at a time when things were generally improving for the LGBTQ+ community politically, we kept seeing our shows cancelled at breakneck pace — in this newly hostile political climate, when so many streamers are slashing budgets, it’s hard to feel hopeful about gay TV.  The number of TV shows with LGBTQ+ women and/or trans characters peaked in 2022, and we’ve been slipping a bit ever since.

How do we pay tribute to such an important piece of television history? How do we measure its impact on society? Let’s take a moment to consider what this show did bring us, like Mal Wright modeling mature communication techniques, and Bridget‘s hair, and Dayna threatening to drive Mel’s food truck into the river, and our podcast, and that random seagull that participated in Rae and Lexi’s breakup conversation. Most importantly, let us never forget Joanna Garcia Swisher for being such a good ally!

we're never promised tomororw

In conclusion, we demand that Netflix bestow queer hosts upon The Ultimatum: Straight Love, because it’s only fair.

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Riese

Riese is the 43-year-old Co-Founder of Autostraddle.com as well as an award-winning writer, video-maker, LGBTQ+ Marketing consultant and aspiring cyber-performance artist who grew up in Michigan, lost her mind in New York and now lives in Los Angeles. Her work has appeared in nine books, magazines including Marie Claire and Curve, and all over the web including Nylon, Queerty, Nerve, Bitch, Emily Books and Jezebel. She had a very popular personal blog once upon a time, and then she recapped The L Word, and then she had the idea to make this place, and now here we all are! In 2016, she was nominated for a GLAAD Award for Outstanding Digital Journalism. She's Jewish. Follow her on twitter and instagram.

Riese has written 3352 articles for us.

7 Comments

  1. but what will my wife and i watch and say “thank god we’re not these people” now? ‘the ultimatum: queer love’ was a supernova: it shined bright, and burned out too quickly. let’s pour one out

  2. It saddens me to know we are having to research for content.. Do we Make our own shows on Youtube?..All above comments slaps as this too. A day when Normal is LGBTQ+ will be when all dogs go to heaven? This got dark quickly..

    On other notes; Stevie Boebi, Rose and Rosie need to be hosts of Ultimatum, Queer Love show! or Leisha Hailey and Kate Moennig Representation is needed! A LGBTQ+ Type Netflix or need to push into Netflix Like Ru Paul drag race does… We need to push our tits out more – figuratively speaking.

  3. Disappointed but unfortunately not surprised. Considering how Hollywood has seemed to be completely over green lighting queer projects, I think people are going to have to expand their tastes internationally for even a chance at queer entertainment.

    I’m watching Thai GL shows right now, and I am drowning in content.
    Queendom, Only You, Player, Love Design, and Poisonous Love are all currently airing! That’s crazy!

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