US Olympic Figure Skater Amber Glenn Faces Death Threats After Coming Out As Pansexual

Team USA figure skater Amber Glenn said that she received death threats for sharing her feelings about representing the U.S. as a member of the LGBTQ community. 

She anticipated some level of backlash but is disappointed by how far it went. She said in a press conference that she will be taking a break from social media. She didn’t specify how long, but she did say she plans to remain a vocal supporter of the LGBTQ community, regardless of the forum. 

Glenn came out as pansexual in 2019. Pansexual means that you’re attracted to people regardless of their gender identity. She was the first openly queer person to represent Team USA’s figure skating team. 

Glenn helped Team USA take home the gold medal in figure skating. Team USA combined for 69 points. Her teammate Ilia Malinin got a score of 200 during his free skate. He got this score from a quadruple axel and a backflip. Other notable members of Team USA include Madison Chock, Evan Bates, Alysa Liu, Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea.

Team Japan won silver, falling just one point behind Team USA. Team Italy won the bronze medal with 60 points. Hometown hero Matteo Rizzo earned 179 points in his free skate. Team USA defended its gold medal from the 2022 Olympics. During the 2022 Olympics, Glenn had the third-highest score in the women’s team event with 138 points. 

The women’s individual figure skating competition will happen from Feb. 17 to Feb. 19. Glenn will be making her debut as an individual figure skater. She is known for her triple axel move. Liu originally announced her retirement in 2024 but later returned for the 2026 Olympics. These two will look to add to Team USA’s gold medal collection.