At a Glance
- Amber Glenn will make her first Olympic appearance in Milan Cortina 2026 after three straight U.S. titles
- The 26-year-old came out publicly as bisexual and pansexual in December 2019
- She now skates in pantsuits and performs to Madonna and Janet Jackson instead of traditional ballet
- Why it matters: Glenn’s authenticity is reshaping figure skating’s rigid gender expectations for future athletes
Amber Glenn is heading to her first Olympics in Milan Cortina 2026, but the 26-year-old U.S. figure-skating champion is chasing something bigger than gold. After three consecutive national titles and a Grand Prix victory, Glenn will compete on the 16-member team while proudly living as her full self-something she once feared was impossible in her sport.
First Olympics, First True Self
Glenn’s path to the Games began when she stepped away from skating at 13 for mental-health reasons. “When I came back, I was doing it for me,” she told News Of Fort Worth‘s “My New Favorite Olympian” podcast. “But I didn’t feel like I fit in.”
Everything shifted when she began training with fellow U.S. skater Timothy LeDuc, who in 2022 became the first openly non-binary Winter Olympian. “They lived as themselves, and I felt safe with them,” Glenn said. “I saw the struggles they went through competing in a sport that’s very much like, you’re A or B.”
LeDuc noticed Glenn’s authenticity immediately. “Something I noticed about Amber was that she was always very much herself,” LeDuc said. “Skaters can get caught up in perfection, in trying to mold themselves into what they think they need to be. But Amber’s just always been Amber.”
The Moment She Stopped Hiding
In December 2019, Glenn gave an interview to the Dallas Voice, publicly coming out as bisexual and pansexual. The announcement made national headlines, marking a rare moment when an elite U.S. skater claimed her identity in a sport known for traditional imagery.
The response was immediate and emotional. At her first competition after coming out-the 2020 U.S. Championships in Greensboro-Glenn skated to a Madilyn Bailey cover of Papa Roach’s “Scars.”
“I remember seeing pride flags in the audience,” she recalled. “People were cheering louder than ever. I almost started crying before I even skated. It was one of the most emotional performances of my life. I felt so free.”
The flags kept appearing wherever she performed, even overseas. “I thought, ‘Even here?’ Wow,” she said after spotting one at the Four Continents event in Korea.
Rewriting the Dress Code
Glenn’s rebellion against convention extends to her wardrobe. Instead of traditional skirts, she competes in tailored pantsuits when the music and story call for it.
“If I want to wear a pantsuit, I’m going to wear a pantsuit,” she said. “When it fits the music and fits the story, it’s not even a question.”
Her music choices follow the same rule. Audiences now see her fly across the ice to the fierce beats of Madonna and Janet Jackson rather than the expected classical pieces.
Even though judges still score skaters on how well they embody “femininity” or “masculinity,” Glenn refuses to worry about criticism. “I’m not worried about what anyone has to say,” she said.
Mama Bear and Message Carrier
Off the ice, Glenn earned the nickname “mama bear” for hauling a giant bag stuffed with supplies to help teammates. Online, she fields direct messages from young skaters figuring out who they are.
“Meeting people after competitions or in DMs and hearing their stories, what I’ve done in the spotlight might have helped them in their own communities, that’s what I gravitate toward,” she said.
She acknowledges safety remains the first concern for anyone considering coming out. “One of the best things you can do is find people who support you and accept you,” she advised. “If you’re in a safe place, and the only thing holding you back is judgment, forego that. Hiding who you are is more damaging than anything anyone else could say.”
Champion the Sport Needs
As she prepares for Milan Cortina, Glenn carries more than medal hopes. NBC Olympics senior editor Nick Zaccardi and Olympic medalist Adam Rippon highlight her consistency, her historic triple axel, and why she enters the Games as one of the strongest threats for women’s figure-skating hardware.
LeDuc believes Glenn’s impact reaches far beyond the podium. “Amber’s paving the way for so many skaters, queer and otherwise,” LeDuc said. “She’s the champion we need right now.”
From pride flags filling arenas to pushing back against gender norms, Glenn embraces her voice and power on the ice while helping reshape figure skating for the next generation. Listeners can hear more of her story on “My New Favorite Olympian,” available wherever podcasts are played.
