Amber Glenn at the Olympics: music dispute resolved as LGBTQ visibility draws attention

Amber Glenn’s 2026 Winter Olympics have mixed on-ice success with off-ice turbulence: the U.S. figure skater helped secure a team-event gold medal in Milan, then moved quickly to settle a public dispute over music rights connected to her free skate. At the same time, she has faced a wave of hostile messages after speaking about LGBTQ issues, prompting her to step back from social media.

Searches for “amber glen” have spiked alongside questions about her Olympics schedule and her identity.

What happened in Milan this week

Glenn skated in the figure skating team event on Sunday, February 8, 2026, contributing points that helped the United States win gold. The team event result immediately elevated her profile heading into the women’s singles competition later in the Games.

Within 48 hours, a separate storyline erupted: a Canadian musician publicly questioned why a track used in Glenn’s program appeared to be unlicensed. Glenn’s camp worked to resolve the situation, and the musician later indicated the matter had been settled amicably. The episode highlighted how complicated music permissions can be in modern figure skating, especially when routines are broadcast globally.

The music-rights issue and why it matters

Figure skaters often use edited recordings that involve multiple rights holders, and Olympic-scale broadcasts can add further layers of clearance. Glenn had used the piece connected to the dispute for multiple seasons, and the sudden public flare-up underscored a broader risk for athletes: even if a team believes paperwork is in order, misunderstandings can surface at the worst possible time.

In this case, the issue was resolved quickly enough that it did not force a last-minute program change. Still, the controversy put renewed focus on how skaters, federations, and event organizers handle licensing—an administrative challenge that rarely gets attention until something goes wrong on a big stage.

Amber Glenn Olympics schedule: what’s next

Glenn’s immediate focus is the women’s singles event, which begins on February 17, 2026 (ET). That event will determine the individual Olympic medals in women’s skating, separate from the team title already decided.

The key competitive question is whether Glenn can carry her momentum into the individual rounds while staying steady under pressure. In recent seasons, she has been known for high-difficulty content and for pushing technical boundaries, but consistency has often been the swing factor between podium contention and mid-pack finishes.

Is Amber Glenn LGBTQ? Is she gay?

Glenn has publicly described herself as openly queer and has identified as bisexual and pansexual. That means she is part of the LGBTQ community. “Gay” is sometimes used as an umbrella term in casual conversation, but it is not the specific label she has consistently used for herself.

Her visibility has made her a prominent figure for LGBTQ representation in U.S. women’s singles skating at the Olympic level. In recent days, she said she received threats and intense online backlash after comments she made about LGBTQ issues and politics, and she indicated she would limit her time on social platforms during the Games.

Key takeaways

• Glenn won an Olympic team-event gold medal in Milan on February 8, 2026.

• A public music-rights dispute tied to her free skate was settled shortly afterward.

• She is openly queer and has identified as bisexual and pansexual; “gay” is not the specific label she typically uses.

• The women’s singles competition begins February 17, 2026 (ET).

What to watch going forward

Two things will likely shape the rest of Glenn’s Olympics. First is performance stability: if she lands her planned elements cleanly, she can contend deep into the event. Second is how effectively she can insulate her preparation from the noise around her—both the licensing flare-up and the online harassment she has described.

For the sport, the music dispute may accelerate calls for clearer, more centralized licensing workflows, particularly for major events where last-minute uncertainty can threaten months of preparation. For Glenn personally, the coming week is a test of competitive focus: the spotlight is brighter than ever, and the margin for error in Olympic singles is unforgiving.

Sources consulted: Reuters; Associated Press; ABC News; U.S. Figure Skating