Amber Glenn arrived at the 2026 Winter Olympics ready to compete, and ready to speak honestly. After doing both, the Team USA figure skater says she is pulling back from social media following what she described as a “scary amount of hate and threats” tied to her comments about LGBTQ+ representation.
Glenn, who identifies as pansexual, is one of 41 openly LGBTQ+ athletes competing at the Milano Cortina Games, marking a record-setting year for queer visibility at the Winter Olympics. On Sunday, she added another milestone to her résumé, helping secure gold in the team figure skating event, a moment she later joked felt like a win for “Team LGBTQ+.”
Comments That Sparked a Backlash
The backlash followed remarks Glenn made during a press conference earlier in the week, when she was asked about representing the LGBTQ+ community on one of the world’s largest stages. Rather than offering a rehearsed answer, Glenn acknowledged the broader climate facing queer Americans.
“It’s been a hard time for the community overall in this administration,” she said on Wednesday, pointing to ongoing political and cultural pressures affecting LGBTQ+ people nationwide.
By Saturday, Glenn addressed the fallout directly in an Instagram post, explaining that her decision to speak candidly had triggered harassment and threats.
“When I chose to utilize one of the amazing things about the United States of America, freedom of speech, to convey how I feel as an athlete competing for Team USA in a troubling time for many Americans, I am now receiving a scary amount of hate/threats,” Glenn wrote, according to Us Weekly.
Choosing Health Over the Algorithm
While Glenn said she anticipated criticism, the scale of the response still landed hard. As a result, she announced she would be limiting her online presence to protect her mental health.
“I did anticipate this, but I am disappointed by it,” she shared. “I will be limiting my time on social media for my own well-being for now. But I will never stop using my voice for what I believe in.”
Glenn also framed the moment within a longer historical context, noting that the LGBTQ+ community has faced repeated challenges to its rights. She emphasized solidarity, aligning queer struggles with those of other marginalized groups navigating uncertainty in the U.S.
“I think we are able to support each other in a way that we didn’t have to before,” she said. “Because of that, it’s made us a lot stronger.”
Gold Medals and Grounded Resolve
Despite stepping back online, Glenn made it clear she isn’t retreating from her values. Speaking after Sunday’s gold medal win, she confirmed she was avoiding social media but not silencing herself.
“I’m not online right now because of [the backlash],” she told reporters, as quoted by USA Today. “I’m gonna keep speaking my truth.”
For Glenn, advocacy and athletic excellence are not competing priorities. She framed her stance as deeply American, rooted in personal freedom and self-expression.
“I’m gonna keep representing what I believe in and what I think all Americans believe in,” she said. “Which is freedom and being able to love and do what you want.”
As the Milano Cortina Games continue, Glenn’s presence, both on the ice and beyond it, reflects a broader shift in Olympic visibility. Even when the response turns hostile, she’s choosing to move forward with intention, boundaries, and a medal to prove she belongs exactly where she is.
