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As excited as fans were to meet 90 Day Fiance‘s first same-sex couple, a lot of people have been frustrated by their storyline.

Erika, they like. Stephanie, they see giving off mixed signals. Is there any chance that they’re still together by the end of the season?

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Stephanie and Erika’s relationship blossomed as a long-distance relationship.

They’re both women who love the entertainment world, and they really hit things off chatting between continents.

But meeting in person has put a visible damper on their romance.

And it has a lot to do with Stephanie’s attitude.

Stephanie Listens at Dinner
(TLC)

On the one hand, she seems withdrawn and deliberately distant from Erika.

Refusing to initiate sex while cameras are rolling is, quite frankly, relatable for most people.

Just because Big Ed is showering with people whom he just met on this same season doesn’t mean that Stephanie is prepared to do the same.

But when Stephanie refuses to so much as hold Erika’s hand at times, Erika — and viewers — feel a palpable sense of rejection.

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At the same time, Stephanie is on the opposite extreme — because she is extremely jealous of Erika.

Stephanie in particular singled out Adam, one of Erika’s close friends, because he and Erika had "made out twice" during their friendship.

(Remember, these folks are all Millennials; it’s faster to list the close friends with whom they haven’t made out)

Stephanie manages to be simultaneously emotionally distant yet transparently jealous and possessive, and the results are not pretty.

Stephanie Matto in Lavender
(TLC)

Some viewers have claimed that the relationship must be fake — that Stephanie and Erika just made a phony romance to get on TV.

First of all, if this were fake, wouldn’t they be more likely to work through issues and get a little hot and heavy on camera?

And second of all, 90 Day Fiance could easily find another pair of wlws (women-who-love-women) in a long-distance relationship to film.

At the risk of perpetuating stereotypes, a lot of women who are gay, bi, pan or use other labels find themselves with long-distance girlfriends.

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To be clear, Stephanie is absolutely bi.

She may not have been out to her family before this, but she told her YouTube followers years ago.

Some viewers have accused her of lying about her sexuality for attention or fame, but this is … patently biphobic.

Bi women are constantly accused of pretending to be interested in women. That is just as absurd and bigoted as homophobia.

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Realistically, it seems likely that Stephanie is still inching her way out of the closet.

Being "out" on YouTube and being out to her family are very different things, and she may be dealing with some internalized issues.

Unfortunately, to Erika, this looks like rejection. It looks that way to audiences, too.

Stephanie received so much hate that she temporarily deactivated her Instagram earlier this week, though on Thursday, she reactivated it.

At the teaser at the end of the latest episode, Stephanie admitted that she doesn’t even know if she still wants to be in this relationship.

So what are their chances?

The two have managed to keep things strictly professional — and ice cold — on social media, sharing a few photos of them together here and htere.

Is that just them keeping their agreement with TLC to not spoil the end of their season … or did they break up Down Under?

Stephanie at Home
(TLC)

Unfortunately, we may not know Stephanie and Erika’s relationship status until the end of the season.

There is no glaring evidence that they are together, like a marriage certificate, but this is Before The 90 Days — there wouldn’t be.

Whether you’re rooting for them to pull through or hoping that Erika finds someone who is less conflicted and more affectionate, stay tuned.

As soon as we know how things work out for these two women, we’ll let you know.