Madonna sends message to queer figure skater Amber Glenn before devastating result
Amber Glenn has been performing to Madonna’s ‘Like A Virgin’ (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images | Theo Wargo/Getty Images for MTV/ViacomCBS)
Team USA figure skater Amber Glenn was left shocked when the Queen of Pop herself, Madonna, sent her a good luck message ahead of her short programme routine.
Glenn, who came out as bisexual and pansexual in 2019 and is the first openly queer woman figure skater to compete for Team USA, is one of the record breaking number of out LGBTQ+ athletes competing at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Prior to her performance on Tuesday evening (17 February) to Madonna’s “Like A Prayer”, Glenn was handed a phone with a message from an apparent “special fan”.
The skater was shocked to see the message was from Madonna herself.
“I have to tell you, I was blown away by it,” the pop legend told the queer athlete in the video.
“You are an incredible skater. So strong, so beautiful, so brave.
“I can’t imagine that you would not win. So I just want to say good luck. Go get that gold.”
In response, Glenn said she was in “complete shock”.
“Oh my god, I’m legitimately shaking. Oh my god,” Glenn said after the video finished.
“My queen, thank you so much. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. You are beautiful, stunning, amazing, and you are an icon, a legend, forever.
“Thank you for supporting athletes and their artistic ventures and I hope I can do the song justice. Thank you, thank you.”
Unfortunately, Glenn’s skate did not go how she hoped and, despite pulling off a triple axel, her shaky performance meant the three-time US National champion ended up in 13th place out of 29 with a score of 67.39.
The athlete was left visibly devastated by her outing on the ice, her head buried in her hands and tears flowing as the score was revealed.
This year’s Winter Olympics has already been a tough time for Glenn, who shared she would be “limiting” her time on social media after receiving “a scary amount of hate/threats” for discussing representing the LGBTQ+ community at the Games.
Glenn’s decision to step back from social media followed right-wing backlash to her comments about the vitriol the queer community is currently facing.
“It’s been a hard time for the community overall in this administration,” she said of the current Trump government, adding this is not the first time the LGBTQ+ community in the US has had to “fight for our human rights”.
“I think that we are able to support each other in a way that we didn’t have to before, and because of that, it’s made us a lot stronger,” Glenn added.
In response, Glenn’s comments about the Trump administration were met with swift backlash from MAGA supporters.
“When I chose to utilise one of the amazing things about the United States of America (freedom of speech) to convey how I feel as an athlete competing for Team USA in a troubling time for many Americans, I am now receiving a scary amount of hate/threats for simply using my voice when asked about how I feel,” Glenn wrote on Instagram following the hatred she received.
“I did anticipate this, but I am disappointed by it,” she admitted. “I will be limiting my time on social media for my own well-being for now. But, I will never stop using my voice for what I believe in.”
