This is a subject on which we are not used to seeing sportspeople and athletes speak in such an open and direct manner, especially on the biggest stage.
This Thursday evening, while she took a nice 5th place during the free figure skating program for the 2026 Olympics, at the end of a rollercoaster fortnight, the American Amber Glenn explained in the mixed zone that she was in the middle of her period.
“I have my period at the moment, so it’s really very difficult, especially when you wear this kind of clothes and you have to perform in front of the whole world,” she explained on France Télévisions. It’s hard, and no one talks about it. »
“Something we don’t talk about much”
“It’s scary, you’re upset, it makes you super emotional, and it’s hard, but you still have to be an athlete,” she continued. This is something that isn’t talked about much regarding female athletes, even though it should be a topic of discussion. »
A few days earlier, it was the Italian biathlete Dorothea Wierer who opened up on the same subject after a 5th place in the individual event: “I struggled a lot on my skis, but it wasn’t very pleasant physically. Unfortunately, for us women, it’s like this once a month; you have to deal with it. »
On Wednesday, the day after a disappointing short program which saw her finish in 13th place, Amber Glenn shared in an Instagram story a post (above) explaining and detailing the effects of rules on the body and mind of athletes during competition, commenting: “It can also make you more emotional in very stressful situations…”
Harassed by Trump supporters
Beyond questions of menstruation, Amber Glenn, crowned Olympic team champion at the start of the Games, had a particularly eventful fortnight on the extra-sport field.
Openly bisexual and pansexual, she spoke during a press conference on February 4 about the difficulties encountered by the LGBTQIA+ community under the Trump administration, which earned her a massive wave of harassment from the American president’s supporters.
“This administration has been difficult for the entire community,” she simply declared. This is not the first time we need to come together as a community and fight for our human rights. And today, this no longer only affects the queer community, but many other communities as well. »
