Determine skater Amber Glenn says embracing her sexuality ‘unapologetically’ has helped her followers
Not solely is Amber Glenn a determine skating champion, however she’s additionally a legend within the LGBTQ group.
Glenn, who identifies as pansexual, turned the primary out LGBTQ girl to win the U.S. Ladies’s Determine Skating Championship when she skated her method to victory in January 2024.
In an interview with NBC’s “Right now” present on Tuesday, Glenn mentioned she’s completely satisfied to be a beacon of hope for followers.
“The tales I’ve been instructed that one thing I did, one thing I mentioned, and being who I’m publicly, unapologetically has helped them really feel higher, that outweighs any type of backlash or something that would ever come negatively from me being who I’m,” she mentioned. “It’s one of many the reason why I saved skating even after I won’t have been seeing the outcomes I wished.”
As a psychological well being advocate, Glenn has additionally talked about her struggles each out and in of the rink. In 2015, she took a while away from the game to examine herself right into a psychological well being facility.
“I used to be in a really darkish place. I ultimately was identified with nervousness and melancholy, consuming dysfunction. One in all my pals contacted one in all my mother and father and I sought assist, and I’m so grateful for that,” she mentioned.
“Finally, I acquired to a spot to the place I used to be doing issues in a wholesome approach and I might talk about my struggles,” Glenn added.
The athlete famous that she felt compelled to speak about her psychological well being struggles as a result of she didn’t see others try this when she was a child.
“I believe rising up, I noticed the highest skaters as untouchable and as these individuals who didn’t have the identical struggles that I used to be having at that age. Finally, I acquired a peek backstage and so they had been struggling in silence,” she mentioned.
“After seeing that, I spotted that it was extra vital for me to be sincere about my journey than to attempt to act like the whole lot was good,” she continued.
Glenn, one of many few U.S. girls to have efficiently landed a triple axel in competitors, additionally talked about competing with ADHD.
She defined that her thoughts typically races earlier than competitions.
“I get these ideas, these impulsive ideas of, ‘What if you happen to didn’t do it? What if somebody pulls the fireplace alarm?’” she mentioned about touchdown one in all her jumps.
“It’s so laborious to get into the proper mindset — to have the ability to accomplish it. However that’s what I work so laborious to do,” she added.
Whereas Glenn has overcome a lot, she shared that she’s nonetheless engaged on trusting and believing in herself extra.
“Why is that tough now? You’re so superior,” “Right now” host Carson Daley requested.
“I believe as a result of it wasn’t all the time the case,” she replied. “It’s taken me many, many, a few years to get to the place I’m at present. And I believe a part of me remains to be in disbelief and I must belief that I put within the work to be right here and that I do deserve it.”
This story first appeared on TODAY.com.