US figure skater Amber Glenn made controversial remarks about LGBTQ+ rights and political issues during a press conference at the Milano Cortina Winter Games. This has resulted in intense backlash from people with opposing views.
Ever since US President Donald Trump resumed control of the Oval Office, he has put an end to several policies aiming to benefit the LGBTQ+ community. Many are not in favor of such decisions driven from Washington, including Glenn, who called out the poor state of the country for the community.
Before her competition at the Winter Games, Glenn, who identifies as pansexual, was asked about the broader issues prevailing in the US over the treatment of LGBTQ+ people. She didn’t hesitate to call out the Trump administration for inducing “a hard time for the LGBTQ community.”
“It’s been a hard time for the (LGBTQ) community overall in this administration,” Glenn, who is the first openly queer woman named to Team USA for the 2026 Winter Olympics, said. “It isn’t the first time that we’ve had to come together as a community and try and fight for our human rights. And now especially, it’s not just affecting the queer community, but many other communities, and 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.”
Glenn also boasted that she’s not the kind of athlete who backs down from speaking against such controversial topics.
“I hope I can use my platform and my voice throughout these Games to try and encourage people to stay strong in these hard times,” Glenn added. “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 is something that I will not just be quiet about because it is something that affects us in our everyday lives. 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.”
Following these remarks, Glenn has been a victim of harsh criticism, even receiving death threats, leading her to make an important decision in the middle of the Games.
Amber Glenn Decides to Limit Social Media Activity After Receiving Death Threats
Shortly after her comments went viral on the internet, Amber Glenn took to social media and revealed that she had received a “scary amount of hate/threats” for expressing her viewpoint. As a result, the three-time US champion figure skater shared that she is limiting herself from social media but reaffirmed that these threats won’t stop her from speaking out.
“When I chose to utilize one of the amazing things about the United States (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 for simply using my voice WHEN ASKED about how I feel,” Glenn wrote on social media.
“I did anticipate this but I am disappointed by it. I will be limiting my time on social media for my own wellbeing for now but I will never stop using my voice for what I believe in.”
Glenn is among the favorites to come out a medal winner in the women’s individual event, which begins on Feb. 17.
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