Figure Skater Amber Glenn’s Sister Slams 2026 Olympics Criticism

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Amber Glenn‘s sister is coming to her defense.

Brooke Glenn defended the figure skater, who earned a gold medal with Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics, against recent criticism.

Brooke wrote in a February 19th Teen Vogue article that watching her sister, Amber Glenn, compete in her first Olympics fills her with pride, both in Amber as a person and as an athlete. She also expressed a strong desire to shield Amber from the negativity and hateful comments she’s seeing online.

After Amber spoke at the Olympics about the difficulties faced by the LGBTQ+ community, she began receiving a lot of hateful messages. She had mentioned during the press conference, after finishing fifth in the free skate, that the community had faced similar struggles for their rights before and needed to support each other.

Brooke didn’t think Amber’s statements warranted the strong negative reaction she’d received lately.

Brooke explained that this wasn’t about offering constructive feedback, but rather an effort to dehumanize someone simply because their views were different and unsettling.

It’s unfair to expect her to perform well while also dealing with the negativity she’s received – no athlete should have to go through that. We encourage authenticity, but then criticize people for being themselves. We expect athletes to be role models, yet we silence them when they share their personal experiences. We support them as long as they don’t challenge us, but quickly turn on them when they do something we don’t like.

Brooke, 24, didn’t hesitate to defend her older sister, explaining it was simply what her parents had taught both her and Amber to do – stand up for family.

I always knew I would love and support my sister, no matter what,” she explained. “Love shouldn’t come with conditions, and neither should being an ally. Our parents raised us to show love and respect to everyone, even those we don’t necessarily agree with or understand.

Brooke added that everyone deserves to be themselves and love who they choose, regardless of whether someone identifies as LGBTQ+ or fully understands what that means, and that no one should face hatred for it.

Brooke immediately supported her sister without hesitation. The 24-year-old explained that standing up for her was simply what she and Amber had been taught to do by their parents.

I always knew I would love and support my sister no matter what,” she explained. “Love shouldn’t come with conditions, and neither should being an ally. Our parents raised us to be loving and respectful towards everyone, even those we don’t necessarily agree with or understand.

Brooke added that everyone deserves to be themselves and love whomever they choose, regardless of whether someone identifies as LGBTQ+ or fully understands what that means – and that this should happen without facing hate.

Although Amber has faced negativity during the Olympics, her sister pointed out that she’s also received a lot of support and encouragement.

Brooke shared that watching her sister and teammates celebrate fills her with hope. She believes her sister’s happiness is more rewarding than any award.

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2026-02-20 20:47