As the first openly queer woman to represent the U.S. in Olympic figure skating, Amber Glenn ’s identity and beliefs have made her a target of intense online harassment .
What should have been a moment of pride and celebration has now turned into a nightmare , as the Olympian revealed the “ scary amount of hate/threats ” she has been receiving since speaking about LGBTQ+ issues last week.
- Amber Glenn recently revealed she’s received a “scary amount of hate/threats” after speaking out about LGBTQ+ rights ahead of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympics.
- The internet has been split, with some praising her for using her voice, while others harshly slammed her for “bringing politics” into the high-profile event.
- Amid the backlash, Glenn also faced a surprise copyright dispute over her gold-medal-winning free skate music, raised by musician Seb McKinnon.
The backlash has further divided the internet, with some expressing support for Amber and others harshly urging her to leave her beliefs out of the sport .
“Weird that the ‘it’s a free country, I should be able to say what I want’ crowd is now getting mad at someone doing the same thing but it’s something they don’t agree with. Wild!” wrote one social media user.
Amber Glenn smiling with tears, wrapped in the American flag, reflecting the backlash and threats over her beliefs.
Amber Glenn is an American figure skater who made history as an openly queer woman at the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics.
On Sunday, February 8, the 26-year-old secured an Olympic gold medal as part of Team USA in the figure skating team event.
Reportedly, Glenn competed in the women’s free skate segment, where she placed third with a score of 138.62, earning eight crucial points that helped the U.S. team secure gold.
Amber Glenn on ice in a navy blue dress, performing with arms extended at a major skating competition.
However, her historic athletic achievements at the ongoing Milano-Cortina Olympics were quickly overshadowed following controversial political statements she made during a press conference just days ahead of the event, on February 4.
When asked about representing the LGBTQ+ community amid the current political climate in the U.S., Amber told reporters, “It’s been a hard time for the community overall in this administration. It isn’t the first time that we’ve had to come together as a community and try and fight for our human rights.”
Tweet by Seb McKinnon about an Olympic figure skater using a song without permission, sparking questions about copyright.
“And now, especially, it’s not just affecting the queer community, but many other communities. I think that we are able to support each other in a way that we didn’t have to before, and because of that, it’s made us a lot stronger.”
She continued, “I know that a lot of people say, ‘You’re just an athlete, like, stick to your job, shut up about politics,’ but politics affect us all. It’s something that I will not just be quiet about…”
Amber limited her social media activity amid what she described as a “scary amount of hate/threats” for voicing her beliefs
Tweet showing a fan supporting Amber Glenn amid terrifying backlash and threats over her beliefs in figure skating.
Tweet reply expressing respect and congratulations related to Amber Glenn amid backlash and threats over her beliefs.
She concluded the conference by saying, “So of course there are things that I disagree with, but as a community, we are strong and we support each other, and brighter days are ahead of us.”
A second added, “Your right to freedom of speech doesn’t make using any platform to speak about your personal struggles right.”
Amber Glenn speaking at a press conference, wearing a US Olympic Team jacket and cap, addressing backlash and threats.
“She could have gone over and just been happy she had the opportunity to actually be competing as a representative of the United States. Yes, she does have free speech, but there consequences of that free speech,” commented a third user.
“You are representing your country, this is not a time to push your personal beliefs on people.”
The controversy allegedly even sparked a wave of hateful threats against her life , which Amber confirmed in an Instagram Story on February 7.
BREAKING: American figure skater Amber Glenn just powerfully spoke about how she is using her platform to support LGBTQ+ Americans under the Trump Administration. This is amazing. pic.twitter.com/VRyKbsMUWT — Democratic Wins Media (@DemocraticWins) February 7, 2026
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