US figure skater Amber Glenn was forced to address rumors that she is dating Olympic teammate Alysa Liu after a viral TikTok video sparked widespread speculation. Glenn, 26, and Liu, 20, are close teammates who helped the USA win gold in the team event at the Milan-Cortina Games in February. However, fans began questioning if their relationship was more than platonic after Glenn shared a clip of the pair on the ice during the post-Olympic Stars on Ice tour.
The video, which has amassed 1.8 million likes, shows Glenn and Liu wearing matching pink glittering costumes, holding hands, and spinning with their heads tilted back in laughter. In the comment section, fans sparked rumors of a romance, prompting Glenn to respond directly.
'GUYS ALYSA IS LIKE A LITTLE SISTER TO ME! I'VE KNOWN HER SINCE SHE WAS 10 AND I WAS 16,' she wrote. To reinforce her denial, she shared a throwback photo of her teenage self with a much-younger Liu.
Glenn's Openness About Her Sexuality
Glenn identifies as bisexual and pansexual and made history as the first openly queer woman figure skater to compete for Team USA at this year's Olympics. Ahead of the games, she revealed she would be taking a break from social media after receiving a 'scary amount of hate' for condemning former President Donald Trump over his treatment of the LGBTQ+ community.
At a press conference during the Winter Games in Italy, Glenn addressed the impact of Trump administration policies on LGBTQ+ Americans, calling it a 'hard time' for the community. She expressed a desire to use her platform to 'try and encourage people to stay strong.'
However, days after that speech, Glenn said she was stepping back from social media after being threatened online. 'When I chose to utilize 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,' she wrote on Instagram. 'I did anticipate this but I am disappointed by it. I will be limiting my time on social media for my own wellbeing for now but I will never stop using my voice for what I believe in.'
Political Context and the 'Blade Angels'
Glenn's comments follow Trump's executive order in early 2025 banning transgender women from competing against biological females in sporting competitions. His administration also introduced measures affecting federal agency approaches to health care and policies for LGBTQ+ Americans.
Glenn, Liu, and Isabeau Levito formed the USA's trio of female figure skaters, affectionately known as the 'Blade Angels' after a Taylor Swift voiceover for an NBC feature. All three are currently performing on the Stars on Ice tour, an exhibition show featuring Olympic and World Championship skaters in live performances worldwide.
