The Bachelor's First Queer Couple Has Broken Off Their Engagement

One of the most popular Bachelor in Paradise couples just called it quits, and love is officially dead

Bachelor Nation is feeling a new and intense kind of heartbreak today after news that one of the fan-favorite couples from this summer’s season of BiP has broken up: Demi Burnett and Kristian Haggerty, who also happened to be the franchise’s first-ever queer couple. It’s official: Love is dead.

Fans of the show have been really pulling for Demi and Kristian ever since watching their love story unfold in Paradise. They ended up getting engaged at the end of the show (with Demi popping the question), and at the reunion show, Kristian pulled an extremely romantic move and got down on one knee with a ring for Demi. After an emotional and sometimes tumultuous season, these two seemed so happy, and really right for one another.

But Bachelor fans have noticed that since the show ended, Demi and Kristian haven’t made any public appearances together or really shown up in each other’s social media. It looked like they were either keeping their relationship super private (which is unusual for couples who fell in love and got engaged on national TV, TBH), or they were never together. Breakup rumors started flying, and they’ve finally been confirmed. On both their Instagram feeds, Demi and Kristian posted the same statement to let the Nation know they’ve called it quits on their engagement.

Each woman posted a black and white photo of the two of them together alongside their shared caption, which read, “What has always been at the forefront of our relationship is love and care for one another. Our priority is doing what is best for us. With a heavy heart full of love for one another we have decided it is best for us to take a step back from our relationship.”

Their statement continued, “We ultimately want what is best for us in the long run and for us right now, that means being apart and growing individually.”

They went on to thank fans for their support both during the show and after, and ended with a nod to their history-making status as the first queer couple in Bachelor history: “And we hope it shows that two people can love one another in different ways and for us right now that is apart. But we remain committed to encouraging each other, supporting each other and continuing forward in a way best for us.”

At the end of the day, we just want Demi and Kristian to be happy. If this is what it takes, we’ll get over our heartbreak and stan them — individually — just as hard as ever.