If you follow queer media, or have been involved in the sapphic social sphere in 2026, you have likely noticed a number of famous couples announcing their break-ups. Whether it is your favourite WLW duo, or one you have only heard about in passing, there is definitely some kind of femme-fatality plaguing these queer couples.
Barely one month into 2026, fans were already noticing a trend. It began with two famous TikTok couples announcing their break up around the same time. Carly and Mercedes confirmed their separation on January 23 of this year. Just over one day later, the confirmation post from Mattie and Amara went live. Two breakup announcements, barely 24 hours apart, sparked a string of separations, and even a divorce. Let’s break down the list of recently single sapphic gals, and figure out just what is up with these WLW!
1. Mattie and Amara
Arguably the most famous among Gen Z, the relationship between Mattie Westbrouck and Amara Cordova began in 2023. Mattie started teasing a possible girlfriend on TikTok towards the end of the year, and finally posted a face reveal in March of 2024. The two continued posting mainly lifestyle content, both together, and individually. The most popular videos usually included both of them, and talked about their relationship or their dynamic. Viewers gravitated towards the opposing roles the two took on, and how they seemed to complement each other by being near opposites. Mattie being the “pocket-sized masc,” worshipped her girlfriend, while Amara seemed to be more of a “femme fatale.”
As their relationship progressed, they continued posting content, marking the longevity of their relationship. Within a year of officially dating, the two followed the age-old lesbian timeline, complete with U-hauling, – that’s moving in together, for those who are unfamiliar – adopting multiple pets together, and even purchasing a Darry Ring. For those who are not aware, the Darry Ring company is a once-per-lifetime agreement. When someone purchases a ring, they sign a waiver with both their and their partners names. They are given a certificate claiming their “true love,” and are then unable to purchase another Darry Ring for anyone else in their lifetime. Mattie and Amara’s partnership with the company was posted on TikTok, and had fans questioning a possible engagement. The video here reads, “This is your sign to get her a Darry Ring diamond ring if you truly love her bc you can only give it to one person in your life.”
Suspicion first arose among fans when the content the couple posted seemed to uncover some secrets regarding the relationship. The most common concern being Amara’s attitude towards Mattie, presented through subtle shifts in body language, actions, or communication. On one video, fans left comments such as, “do you two actually like each other?” and “I’m starting to think someone loves someone a lil more.” Then, the videos featuring both Mattie and Amara began to gradually decrease. The last video where they were seen together – in a relationship – was posted on November 29, 2025. On Mattie’s account, her videos then featured only herself, and fans were confused, and leaving comments saying “UM WHERES AMARA.” Shortly after, on January 25, 2026, Mattie posted an Instagram story officially announcing the breakup, and Amara posted hours later, confirming her side.
Although the two still post together occasionally, and have seemingly stayed friends, fans of these creators are still recovering from the split. The situation has also been amplified with controversial opinions regarding drama between Mattie and her ex-girlfriend, Bella Rose, known as @onlyjayus on TikTok. Questions of grooming, consent, and age-gaps have flooded both creators’ comment sections, making fans skeptical about the reasoning for the breakup.
2. Carly and Mercedes
Canadian sapphic creators Carly Gonschior and Mercedes Stewart announced their separation on their shared TikTok account @Carley&Mercedes on January 23, 2026. The TikTok confronts the rumours regarding their relationship, and asks fans for suggestions on how to handle their shared account. Many believe that this breakup is a result of many hiccups throughout their dating history. In 2022, through a TikTok post, the couple shared that their “moms both slept with the same guy.” This information, combined with their already ample comments regarding their similar resemblance worried the couple, as well as their viewers. They shared the entire journey of receiving a DNA test to ensure that they were not biologically related. Thankfully, the test results were negative, as C & M supporters uttered a sigh of relief.
This couple also received mixed opinions regarding their involvement with the OnlyFans website. Much of the content they posted together promoted, or gestured to their videos on the website, and viewers questioned the impact this had on their relationship. When they announced their breakup, many comments mentioned the struggles of sharing intimacy, while also posting it online, and for payment.
3. Lauren Morelli and Samira Wiley
Lauren and Samira first met on the set of Orange is the New Black in 2012, as Samira played the character “Poussey,” and Lauren worked as a producer and writer for the show. However, given Lauren’s marriage at the time, they did not announce their engagement until 2016. They even had a child together, George Elizabeth, born on April 11, 2021. Over the course of their marriage, they represented the truth and possibility of sapphic marriages, with many knowing Samira from the iconic “OITNB.” Much like the other WLW couples mentioned, the news of the divorce became public in late January of 2026. The two told multiple sources that their divorce is “amicable,” and that their relationship as co-parents is a lifelong commitment. With their now four year old daughter, this connection was a crucial question which fans lingered on as news of the divorce hit. Especially with a nine year relationship, followers of this couple wondered how they would continue interacting, while also sharing a child.
What’s Up?
What is going on in the sapphic sphere? Why are all of these couples separating, and why now? One theory is the involvement in media, or the public eye, being a common denominator between the most recent breakups within the community. The pressure of creating, producing, or working in social media tends to put a strain on any relationship. Especially when the couple receives some form of monetary reward from their collaboration before the public eye, this eliminates the opportunity for them to experience any “off-days,” or time where they are not performing. They also create a persona, both individually, and as partners which the public knows them by. If this has any space from their authentic self, it can cause a rift in the relationship by opposing the dynamic that occurs naturally.
Another possibility could be the impact of age, innocence, and immaturity. For many of these couples, they met at a young age, and continued into a serious, committed relationship, which has the chance of impacting their youth and young adulthood. Often – whether in the public eye, or not – a serious relationship which begins during the developmental years has a higher chance of imploding. Attempting to mature, expand, and grow as an individual is daunting as it is, and adding the responsibility of a serious relationship only adds to the difficulty of this task. This is not to say that it is impossible, or always detrimental, for couples to stay together from a young age. It is entirely possible to maintain a fulfilling, long-term relationship in the face of these challenges, however, the couple must first have a strong base to fight back against the conflicts that are bound to arise while they grow up together in the public eye. These challenges are merely an observation, or possible guess at what is influencing the great lesbian breakup epidemic of 2026. What do you think? Will the famous WLW couples continue to wane?