In an effort to build a space for queer people like myself, every Sunday (or when I’m feeling spicy) I’ll be posting interviews, opinion pieces, listicles, reviews, and more focused on the LGBT community from a Latina perspective. Welcome to Queerly Not Straight! Enjoy and leave a comment below if you have a suggestion for what I should cover next.
P.S. I, Lyra Hale, do not give any site permission to copy or repost my work in any form. If you are reading this on any site besides Fangirlish, it has been stolen.
The Ultimatum: Queer Love has just wrapped up its first season and let me tell you, it’s a hot fucking mess. And I knew it would be. It’s reality TV after all. But I didn’t expect the mess to be so grand, so toxic, and for me to not like one couple from the series. Yes, that means even Xander and Yoly. They were basura too. And with so many thoughts floating in my head, here are 5 unpopular opinions about The Ultimatum: Queer Love.
1. Vanessa wasn’t THE villain, Mildred was.
The first couple of episodes of The Ultimatum: Queer Love focused so much on Vanessa being THE villain that it took me to the second half to realize that Mildred was THE actual one. Mildred was a villain for the blatant gaslighting before and after the reveal that she was arrested for domestic violence. And there was something so nasty about her telling Tiff to basically stop because when Tiff talked, Mildred got a ringing in her ear. The disrespect was real and there was no growth.
P.S. Yoly was also a villain for the way that she yanked Mal and Xander around and then lied to people like nothing. Good thing that both were called out and caught in their lies, revealing who they truly are.
2. JoAnna Garcia Swisher was the wrong host.
I understand that after the Love is Blind debacle with Nick and Vanessa Lachey that Netflix was eager to find a new host, but JoAnna Garcia Swisher was an absolute fumble. First of all, for such a standout show, she wasn’t part of the LGBTQ+ community. And this decision speaks of a decision room that lacks queer people, which speaks of a bigger program at the streaming service. But also…she just sat there. During juicy moments and when the contestants needed an actual host, she sat there and did nothing. For all the good she did, they might as well not have had a host.
3. Aussie isn’t terrible. She needs empathy and therapy.
Not gonna lie, at first, Aussie bothered me. They ran away from problems at the drop of a dime and were incapable of actually talking. But after that parking lot freakout, I could see Aussie. They don’t need harassment or hate thrown their way. They need grace, understanding, and heaps of therapy. And I’m not saying this to be flippant. I’m saying this because I see myself in Aussie and their problems when it comes to talking things out. I also see myself in the trauma that Aussie hasn’t healed from. So hopefully they take The Ultimatum: Queer Love as an opportunity to reflect and grow.
4. I wanted Mal and Sam to be together.
The more that I saw of The Ultimatum: Queer Love, the more I wondered how Mal and Sam would be together. Sam has absolutely blossomed over this season and found her voice. And Mal has shown to be a person who shows up and is dependable AF. Sure, Mal isn’t perfect. But you could tell that there was a willingness to try and was wayyyyy too understanding. Together I think these two could’ve found something real. Either way, I bet there are plenty of people sliding into Mal’s DM’s after seeing this show. And I hope Sam continues to advocate for herself.
5. Rae and Lexi were also basura as well.
Rae spent two seconds with Vanessa and then took on some of her “omg you’re obsessed with me” traits. And it just completely soured me to her. It didn’t feel like I got to see who she was. And then there’s Lexi, who spent more time blaming Vanessa for everything than doing her own work on her relationship or her fake marriage. Then it also felt like Vanessa was only getting the blame for what two people did. Not only that, Lexi didn’t listen to Rae and it eventually turned into tears. Messy.
What did you think about The Ultimatum: Queer Love? Let us know in the comments below!
Queerly Not Straight posts every Sunday with opinion pieces, listicals, reviews, and more focused on the LGBT community (and occasionally about the Latinx community since I am Latinx.)
