Amber Glenn, an Olympic figure skater, has criticized the Trump administration for what she perceives as an attack on her “human rights.”
At a press conference ahead of the Olympics last week, she conveyed her sentiments, emphasizing that the “queer community” is currently resilient. “For my own health, I will limit my time on social media,” she asserted.
During the recent team figure skating competition, Glenn expressed that athletes have been facing tough challenges, mentioning her concern about the situation for the LGBTQ community under the current administration. She went on to assert that her “human rights” were in jeopardy.
“This isn’t the first time we’ve had to unite as a community to advocate for human rights,” Glenn stated. “It’s affecting not only the queer community but many others as well. We’ve shown support for each other in unprecedented ways, and I believe we’re stronger because of it.”
The 26-year-old pledged to use her voice to “inspire strength” during the Olympic Games. However, shortly thereafter, she announced a need to distance herself from social media due to experiences of “hate” and “intimidation.”
In a candid post on her Instagram Story, she reflected on the backlash: “I chose to express my thoughts using the freedom of speech in our country, and now I’m facing an overwhelming amount of hate and threats.” She added, “I expected some negativity, but it’s still disheartening. For the time being, I’ll restrict my social media use for my mental health, but my advocacy will never cease.”
Days after indicating a social media break, Glenn briefly stepped away but then returned, sharing a photo with her gold medal-winning team and acknowledging “every queer athlete who has won a medal” at the Olympics up to that point.
Following her return, the Human Rights Campaign shared a post that featured Glenn, reinforcing her commitment to using her platform despite the negativity faced. This was somewhat contradictory to her earlier statements about scaling back her social media presence.
She later posted about her involvement in discussions aimed at promoting inclusivity in figure skating and advocating for mental health and the LGBTQ+ community.
Glenn’s social media consistently highlights her work surrounding mental health and LGBTQ advocacy. Before her brief hiatus, she shared a video celebrating being “the first openly LGBTQ+ woman” to represent the U.S. in Olympic figure skating, and she emphasized the importance of recognizing and rewarding female athletes.
Looking ahead, Glenn will have another opportunity to address the press regarding her performance in the short program competition on February 17th.
