Figure Skater Amber Glenn Brings Her Authentic Self to Olympics

When Amber Glenn stepped onto the ice at the 2020 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, she saw something that nearly brought her to tears before she even performed. Pride flags dotted the audience, held high by fans cheering louder than ever.

It was her first competition after coming out publicly as bisexual and pansexual. The Plano, Texas native had spent years feeling like she didn't fit into a sport that prized perfection and traditional images.

"I'd had some success when I was 13 or 14, then left the sport for mental health reasons," Glenn said. "When I came back, I was doing it for me. But I didn't feel like I fit in."

Everything changed when she started training with Timothy LeDuc, who became the first openly non-binary Winter Olympian in 2022. Watching them live authentically gave Glenn the courage to do the same.

In December 2019, at just 20 years old, Glenn shared her identity in an interview with Dallas Voice. The announcement made national headlines in a sport not known for breaking tradition.

Now Glenn is bringing that same authentic energy to the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics. She's traded traditional skating dresses for pantsuits when they fit her performance. She skates to Madonna and Janet Jackson instead of classical ballet pieces.

LeDuc noticed something special about Glenn from the start. "Skaters can get caught up in perfection, in trying to mold themselves into what they think they need to be," they said. "But Amber's just always been Amber."

The pride flags followed Glenn everywhere, even showing up at international competitions in Korea. Young skaters now reach out through social media to share how her visibility helped them in their own communities.

Why This Inspires

Glenn carries more than just skating equipment in the giant bag that earned her the nickname "mama bear." She's carrying hope for every young athlete wondering if they can be themselves and still succeed at the highest level.

Her advice for anyone struggling with their identity is both practical and powerful. "If you're in a safe place, and the only thing holding you back is judgment, forego that," she said. "Hiding who you are is more damaging than anything anyone else could say."

Glenn heads to Milan Cortina with three straight U.S. Championships golds and a 2024-25 Grand Prix gold medal. She's chasing Olympic gold, but she's already won something bigger: the freedom to compete as her complete, authentic self.

The young skater who once left the sport to protect her mental health is now inspiring the next generation to skate as themselves.