As the old saying goes, if you love somebody, let them go… on The Ultimatum and date other people.

At this point, it’s long been settled that for many, love really is blind. But this dating experiment dares to ask another — albeit slightly messier — question: Is love enough? Five couples, made up of women and nonbinary people, are about to get their answer when The Ultimatum: Queer Love Season 1 launches on May 24. 

For these queer couples, marriage is an absolute dealbreaker. One partner is ready to walk down the aisle, while the other is dragging their feet. So to decide whether to marry or move on for good, one half issues an ultimatum, kicking off a potentially relationship-shattering experiment. In the span of just over eight weeks, the couples will split and choose someone else to date based on long-term compatibility, attraction and the unquantifiable sensation known simply as vibes. 

Each person will enter into a trial marriage with a new partner from one of the other pairings — and among this group of queer folks, the possibilities are endless. At the end of the experiment, they must choose between two possible futures. Hailing from the same creators of Love Is Blind, The Ultimatum: Queer Love is hosted by Sweet Magnolias star JoAnna Garcia Swisher. 

Get to know more about the people risking it all for love (and marriage) below. 

Simone Thompson/Netflix

Lexi and Raelyn

Ultimatum Giver: Lexi, 25 (she/her)

Ultimatum Receiver: Rae, 27 (she/her)

Lexi, a Capricorn, is “ready 130%” to spend the rest of her life with Rae, her Cancer girlfriend of over three years. The two first connected on Bumble, and after meeting IRL one fateful night out in West Hollywood, they’ve been inseparable ever since. Now, they’re at a major crossroads, as Rae is stalling when it comes to marriage and won’t commit to saying yes at the altar just yet. Will Rae’s tendency to overanalyze things get in the way of their happily ever after? Or will Lexi’s ultimatum push her to realize that an engagement is the key to her happy life and wife?

Simone Thompson/Netflix

Yoly and Mal

Ultimatum Giver: Yoly, 34 (she/her)

Ultimatum Receiver: Mal, 36 (she/her/they)

Three years into their relationship, Yoly, a Leo (Gemini moon, Aries rising), just wants Virgo Mal (Capricorn moon, Scorpio rising) to “choose [her]” for a once-in-a-lifetime commitment. The couple first met during Chicago Pride years ago, and their friendship blossomed into a full-blown relationship that’s weathered a move to Seattle, a breakup and a reconciliation. Now Yoly is confident in their rock-solid romance and is ready for Mal to pop the question. But Mal wants to be on even stronger footing when it comes to their finances and beyond before they decide to spend the rest of their lives together and potentially bring children into the world. 

Simone Thompson/Netflix

Tiff and Mildred

Ultimatum Giver: Mildred, 33 (she/her)

Ultimatum Receiver: Tiff, 32 (they/them)

Mildred, a Virgo, believes she “deserves to be happy” at this point in her life — and that looks like a ring from Tiff. The two first connected after Tiff, an Aquarius (Pisces moon, Virgo rising), came across Mildred’s Instagram account and somewhat thirstiIy slid right into her DMs. Turns out, they were just what Mildred was looking for in her next relationship after a painful divorce. Ever since then, they’ve built a happy home together, which includes Mildred’s teenage son, and now the ball is in Tiff’s court. Mildred is ready to take the next step, but Tiff has major reservations about marriage given their constant fighting and yet-to-be-resolved communication issues. 

Simone Thompson/Netflix

Vanessa and Xander

Ultimatum Giver: Xander, 30 (she/her/they)

Ultimatum Receiver: Vanessa, 30 (she/her)

As queer love stories go, it doesn’t get more classic than Vanessa and Xander, whose boyfriends in high school were best friends. After coming out and reconnecting years later, Vanessa, a Virgo, and Xander, a Gemini, realized they were meant to be together instead. Now, they’ve been dating for four years and have never spent more than three days apart — which isn’t hard when their home base is Hawaii. But Xander’s desire to start their next chapter together as wives has brought them to a crossroads, particularly when it comes to her dreams of having a family. Vanessa, meanwhile, is worried about losing her sense of freedom should they tie the knot one day. 

Simone Thompson/Netflix

Aussie and Sam 

Ultimatum Giver: Sam, 31 (she/her)

Ultimatum Receiver: Aussie, 42 (pronoun: Aussie)

When Sam and Aussie first met, their immediate connection was like “something that you see in the movies.” After first crossing paths in an online social group for LGBTQ+ people during the pandemic, they decided to purse a romance offline and have been together for the past one and a half years. Despite being a decade younger, Sam, an Aquarius (Aries moon, Sagittarius rising), is ready to make the ultimate commitment to Aussie and have a ring on her finger. But the anxiety-prone and Gemini Aussie (Scorpio moon, Cancer rising) would rather live together for a longer period of time before committing to marriage. Only time will tell if Sam’s ultimatum will accelerate or deteriorate their relationship.