Christian and Cleo have not met in person on 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days. However, there are already signs they won’t work out.
The anticipation continued to bubble after the most recent episode of 90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days showed Christian Allgood boarding a plane to London to visit Cleo, but there are already signs that the relationship won’t work out. Cleo, the first transgender cast member in the 90 Day Fiancé franchise, is a British model who’s an autistic person. On the other hand, Christian is a Minnesotan. He’s the self-proclaimed, «life of the party,» who’s only dated cisgender women. As he nervously boarded the plane, Christian seemed poised to break Cleo’s heart.
In Christian’s alcohol-fueled brunch with two good friends, he revealed that his family didn’t react positively when they found out that Cleo was trans. In fact, Christian’s friends also seemed skeptical of his choice to date a trans woman and visit her overseas, though they weren’t outwardly antagonistic toward him. Minnesota is known for being more progressive than surrounding states, but an extroverted party boy suddenly falling for a trans woman may have been too much for some Midwesterners.
Christian is very close to his family, and highly values their opinions. While he said he would be prepared to cut people off if necessary, that’s easier said than done in a tight-knit familial situation. Hopefully, if he and Cleo stay together, his family will come around, but it’s tough to say, as the pair haven’t even met in person. Christian spent most of the episode saying his family’s words were getting in his head, but as the show continued, it seemed like his own voice was causing him anxiety.
Christian’s uncertainty surrounding Cleo doesn’t bode well for the pair’s meeting. In fact, Cleo was rightfully stressed when, after speaking with his family, Christian mentioned that he might not want to kiss her when meeting her at the airport. It seems like his family’s concerns regarding public perception messed with his head, or his anxieties about dating a trans woman were simply exacerbated by his family’s concerns. Cleo deserves better than someone who’s uncertain about whether they will be ashamed to be publicly seen with her.
Christian is a Midwestern, heterosexual man (except for that one kiss in college, courtesy of the uncomfortable poker scene) who found a connection online with Cleo, who happens to be trans. The two fell in love during their conversations, but now, the reality of being with a trans person is weighing on Christian. Cleo, who already bears the brunt of being trans in a world increasingly hostile toward the LGBTQ+ community, is rightfully worried. While Christian likely didn’t engage with Cleo only to hurt her in the end, his own limited experience of gender and sexuality is not a burden she deserves to bear.
Christian and Cleo’s meeting is likely to be awkward and hurtful, but Christian could surprisingly be overtaken by his attraction to her. While it remains to be seen, Cleo deserves someone proud to be with her, rather than ashamed. There are so many signs that Cleo and Christian won’t work out, but much of their love story remains to be seen in upcoming episodes of 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days. Only time (and Christian’s reaction to Cleo’s cats) will tell.