It’s 2018, and we should all probably know by now that it’s in extremely poor taste to use a fake pregnancy as your April Fools’ Day joke. Even if you aren’t aware of the statistics about miscarriage and the struggle some women face getting pregnant (around 10 percent of women in the U.S. according to Women’s Health), you’ve likely seen infographics or articles shared in the days leading up to April 1 reminding followers that for people who struggle with infertility, joking about pregnancy can feel like a huge slap in the face.
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Apparently, Arie Luyendyk Jr. missed the memo. On April Fools’ Day, he tweeted a photo of what appeared to be his fiancée, Lauren Burnham, sporting a baby bump. In the tweet, he wrote, “Secrets finally out, we have a bunny in the oven!” He also tagged Burnham.
Secrets finally out, we have a bunny in the oven! @laurenburnham91pic.twitter.com/Mmx50ePDaB
— Arie Luyendyk Jr. (@ariejr) April 1, 2018
A little over an hour later, he followed up with this:
APRIL FOOLS!
— Arie Luyendyk Jr. (@ariejr) April 1, 2018
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The backlash was predictably swift.
That is THE worst thing to joke about when so many people are unable to conceive or have miscarried.
— Katie (@K8te28) April 1, 2018
https://twitter.com/TheBrookeBrooks/status/980545848038838274?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
https://twitter.com/lemmiejay/status/980559925561749505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
We knew you were lying… just like you lied to Becca about being in love with her 😅😅😅
— Ryan (@ryguy1231231234) April 1, 2018
If anyone in the world could stand to stay in the internet’s good graces after a public downfall, it’s Luyendyk. After his controversial Bachelor finale wherein he dumped future Bachelorette Becca Kufrin on television and ended up proposing to Burnham, his original runner-up, right in front of her. It’s become one of the most infamous Bachelor finales in recent memory, and the way that Luyendyk treated Kufrin during said finale has made him something of a villain in Bachelor Nation. Fans quickly rallied behind Kufrin following that finale, and it seemed like nothing Luyendyk and Burnham did would appease the fandom.
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Officially fled the country 😇 pic.twitter.com/m1sY3uoGNj
— Arie Luyendyk Jr. (@ariejr) March 13, 2018
Since that drama played out, Luyendyk and Burnham have been keeping a pretty low profile. They stayed off social media for a few days after the finale, when backlash was at its highest point, and they’ve been vacationing in Europe for a few weeks since then.
The couple has yet to follow up with any kind of statement or apology for their April Fools’ Day joke. Let’s just hope that they can learn from this incredibly shortsighted gaffe and understand why the joke they made was actually very problematic.
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