Seven years after coming out in a Dallas newspaper interview, Amber Glenn stood on an Olympic podium in Milan-Cortina wearing gold. The 2026 team-event victory made her the first openly queer woman to win Olympic gold in figure skating — a milestone that separates the confirmed record from the parts of her life that remain genuinely private.
Age: 26 (born October 28, 1999) ·
Height: 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) ·
Olympic gold: 2026 Milan-Cortina (team event) ·
Known for: First openly LGBTQ+ U.S. women’s national champion ·
Dancing with the Stars: 2025 contestant ·
Net worth: Estimated $1 million (unconfirmed)
Quick snapshot
- Won Olympic team-event gold at Milano-Cortina 2026 (Olympics.com, the official Games channel)
- Born October 28, 1999, in Plano, Texas (Britannica, the reference publisher)
- Placed fifth in women’s singles at the same Games (Team USA, the U.S. Olympic committee’s athlete registry)
- Whether she will compete at the 2030 Olympics — no official decision
- Current relationship status — no partner publicly confirmed
- Exact net worth — not publicly documented
- Full coaching team — not officially confirmed
- 2019 — came out as bisexual and pansexual (Britannica, the reference publisher)
- 2023 — sixth U.S. woman to land a triple Axel in competition (U.S. Figure Skating, the sport’s national governing body)
- 2025 — joined Dancing with the Stars (ABC, the network’s official cast page)
- 2030 Olympic decision pending — she hasn’t ruled out another cycle
- Advocacy and media work expected to continue
Twelve facts, one pattern: nearly every major milestone in Glenn’s career lands after 2019, the year she came out publicly — the two timelines moved together.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | Amber Glenn |
| Birth date | October 28, 1999 |
| Age at 2026 Olympics | 26 |
| Hometown | Plano, Texas |
| Height | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) |
| Parents | Richard Glenn and Cathlene Glenn |
| Sibling | Younger sister, Brooke |
| Olympic result | Team-event gold; fifth in women’s singles |
| U.S. national titles | 2024, 2025, 2026 |
| Grand Prix Final | 2024–25 champion (International Artists Management, her talent agency) |
| Dancing with the Stars | 2025 contestant |
| Net worth | Not publicly confirmed |
What about Amber Glenn?
Amber Glenn, 26, grew up in Plano, Texas, and has spent more than two decades on the ice. Her breakthrough arrived later than the typical U.S. women’s singles star: she won her first national title at 24 and became the first openly queer woman to win Olympic figure skating gold at 26.
That Olympic gold came in the team event. In the individual women’s competition in Milan-Cortina, Glenn finished fifth — a result that would be a career peak for most skaters, and a footnote for her.
Who is Amber Glenn?
Born: October 28, 1999 · Hometown: Plano, Texas · Discipline: Women’s singles · Olympic debut: 2026
She is a U.S. women’s singles skater whose late-career surge produced three straight national titles. Team USA’s profile notes she began skating at age five, records her fifth-place finish in the individual event in Milan-Cortina, and credits her 2024 national title as the first for an openly LGBTQ+ U.S. woman.
Age and height
- Age: 26 at the 2026 Winter Games
- Height: 5 ft 6 in (168 cm)
Her birth date — October 28, 1999 — put her at 26 for the entire Milan-Cortina Games, an age that made her the oldest U.S. women’s singles Olympian in nearly a century.
Ethnicity and background
- Ethnicity: White — public profiles describe her as such, though she rarely discusses it
Glenn’s public identity work has centered on sexuality, not ethnicity. She grew up in a Texas suburb and started skating as a preschooler, long before the national podiums arrived.
Coaching team
- Coach: Not officially confirmed — some listings connect her with Damon Allen, but no formal announcement exists
The coaching question is one of the few gaps in her public record. The results, at least, are unambiguous: three straight national titles and an Olympic team gold on the board.
Glenn’s medals came after her coming-out, not before it. The public record shows no trade-off between living openly and winning — which is exactly why her story matters to the next generation.
Does Amber Glenn have any siblings?
Yes — one sibling. Glenn has a younger sister named Brooke. Team USA’s profile lists Brooke as a fixture in her corner and notes Glenn began skating at age five.
Family background
- Sister: Brooke Glenn, younger
- Parents: Richard Glenn, a police sergeant, and Cathlene Glenn, a fitness instructor (U.S. Figure Skating, the sport’s national governing body)
Upbringing
- Started figure skating at age five
- Raised in Plano, a Dallas suburb
The family had no skating-dynasty pedigree — just two working parents and a daughter who loved the ice. The details are thin in official bios, but the shape is clear: a supportive Texas household behind an athlete who broke a national mold.
The pattern: Glenn’s family story is the quiet scaffolding under a public career — a counterweight to the isolation narrative that still surrounds many queer athletes.
Will Amber Glenn compete in the 2030 Olympics?
No official decision has been announced. Glenn has not ruled out another Olympic cycle, and no retirement statement exists. That leaves the door open — officially.
Amber Glenn’s Olympic future
At 30, Glenn would be older than most of the women’s field — but she was already the oldest U.S. women’s singles Olympian in nearly a century at 26, and the age gap did not stop her in 2026.
- No retirement or 2030 commitment on record
- Her 2026 results give her leverage to choose her own timeline
Age at the 2030 Games
Age at 2026 gold: 26 · Age in February 2030: 30 · U.S. titles so far: 3 consecutive
- Would be one of the oldest U.S. women’s singles Olympians in the event’s history if she competes
- Three straight national titles suggest her competitive window is still open
The 2030 question is partly athletic and partly cultural. A fourth Olympic cycle would make Glenn the longest-running openly queer U.S. women’s skater at the elite level — a visibility record no one else in the sport currently holds.
What this means: the longer Glenn skates, the longer a visible out woman represents U.S. figure skating on the world stage. That legacy extends well beyond medal counts.
Who is Amber Glenn’s partner?
There is no confirmed public answer. Glenn has not announced a partner or spouse, and major sports-media profiles do not document a current relationship.
Marriage status
- Marital status: No public record of a marriage
Relationship status
- Partner: None publicly confirmed
- Public appearances: No romantic partner has been documented alongside her
The gap is notable because Glenn has been open about her sexuality since 2019. Being public about identity, for her, has not meant being public about dating.
Glenn made her sexuality public and kept her dating life private. That distinction is her choice — and it is one more way she controls her own narrative.
The trade-off: fans who want a full personal story will have to wait — but Glenn’s silence on relationships reads less like secrecy and more like a deliberate line.
Which female ice skater is pansexual?
The most prominent answer is Amber Glenn. She is also the first openly queer U.S. woman to win Olympic gold in figure skating.
Amber Glenn’s pansexuality
- 2019 — came out as bisexual and pansexual in an interview with the Dallas Voice
- 2024 — won the U.S. title that made her the first openly LGBTQ+ U.S. women’s champion
- Advocacy — she has pushed for LGBTQ+ visibility and inclusion in sports
Pansexuality describes attraction to people regardless of gender. Glenn’s public declaration, made years before her biggest wins, is part of why her victories registered as cultural events, not just scoring sheets.
Is Alyssa Liu LGBTQ+?
- Alyssa Liu: Has not publicly identified as LGBTQ+
Liu has kept her personal life private, and no major profile includes a public statement about her sexual orientation. That absence is not an answer about her identity, but it does mean there is no confirmed one.
Other queer figure skaters
- Openly queer Olympic medalists in figure skating have mostly been men; Glenn is the first openly queer U.S. woman to win figure skating gold
The contrast is the story: the sport has made room for some out male stars, but out women have remained rare. Glenn’s gold does not erase that history — it shifts the baseline.
The next openly queer U.S. women’s champion won’t be a first. That is progress — and it also means every future title Glenn wins will be measured against the standard she just set.
Why this matters: Glenn’s visibility changes the default assumption for the next generation of U.S. women’s skaters — the question is no longer whether an out woman can win, but when the next one will.
Amber Glenn career timeline
Eight milestones, one arc: the jumps, the titles, and the television spot all trace back to a single turning point in 2019.
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| Born in Plano, Texas | |
| Started figure skating at age five | |
| Came out as bisexual and pansexual in a Dallas Voice interview | |
| Landed a triple Axel at Skate America — the sixth U.S. woman to do so in competition | |
| Won her first U.S. national title | |
| Won a second U.S. title and joined Dancing with the Stars | |
| Won a third straight U.S. title — the first U.S. woman to three-peat since Michelle Kwan | |
| Won Olympic team-event gold and placed fifth in women’s singles |
For a skater whose early career was defined by promise, the line from 2019 to 2026 is strikingly linear. The only major gaps in the public timeline are personal ones — relationships, coaching details, and the2030 decision remain unconfirmed.
What’s confirmed — and what’s not
Confirmed facts
- Amber Glenn was born October28,1999, in Plano,Texas
- Sh won Olympic team-event gold at the2026 Milano-Cortina Games
- Sh placed fifth in the women’s singles event at the same Games
- Sh came out as bisexual and pansexual in2019
- Sh won three consecutive U.S. national titles (2024–2026)
What’s unclear
- Whether she will compete at the2030 Olympics
- Whether she has a current partner or spouse — no public confirmation
- Her exact net worth — estimates exist, but nothing official
- Who her2026 coaching team officially is
- Whether Alyssa Liu identifies as LGBTQ+ — no public statement
- Whether a memoir or book is in the works — nothing announced
The split matters: the confirmed list rests on official sports bodies and reference publishers, while the unclear list is defined by silence — which is itself information.
In her own words
“I came to these Games to fight, and I’m leaving with gold and a team I’m proud of. This is bigger than one program.”
— Amber Glenn, in coverage by Olympics.com, the official Games channel
“With this jump, Glenn joined a select group, becoming the sixth U.S. woman to land a triple Axel in competition.”
— U.S. Figure Skating, in its official athlete roster — the sport’s national governing body
The through-line in both quotes: Glenn frames her success as collective — team gold, family support, and the skaters coming after her.
The bigger picture
Glenn’s gold is a data point in a longer arc: figure skating’s most traditional event now has its most visible out champion. The next quadrennial will test whether her example changes the culture beyond the podium — in judging rooms, in sponsorship deals, and in the decisions of young skaters watching from the stands. For young LGBTQ+ skaters weighing whether to compete openly, the implication is clear: Glenn’s path shows the podium is reachable after coming out, but the choice to do it publicly remains deeply personal.
Frequently asked questions
What other medals has Amber Glenn won?
Beyond the 2026 Olympic team gold, she has won three consecutive U.S. national titles (2024–2026) and the 2024–25 ISU Grand Prix Final, according to her management profile (International Artists Management, her talent agency). She also placed fifth in women’s singles at the 2026 Olympics.
How old was Amber Glenn when she started skating?
She was five. Glenn began figure skating at age five in Plano, Texas.
Did Amber Glenn compete in the 2022 Olympics?
No. The 2026 Milano-Cortina Games were her Olympic debut, where she competed for Team USA in the team event and placed fifth in women’s singles.
What does Amber Glenn’s pansexuality mean?
Pansexuality describes attraction to people regardless of gender. Glenn came out as bisexual and pansexual in 2019 in an interview with the Dallas Voice.
Who is Amber Glenn’s coach?
Her coaching team has not been officially confirmed in public records. Some listings connect her with Damon Allen, but no formal announcement has been made.
Is Amber Glenn married?
There is no public record that she is married. Glenn has not confirmed a partner or spouse.
Has Amber Glenn written a book or spoken publicly?
She has not published a book. She has spoken publicly about LGBTQ+ inclusion in sports, an advocacy role that ABC’s official cast page highlights.
Related reading
Related stories
Craig Newton is Senior Reporter at ScopePress.uk, covering breaking technology news and consumer tech stories across the UK.