It’s no secret that the world of figure skating exists in a context of toxicity, something so common in this endeavor that it has become expected. The path to success for this sport is peppered with controlling coaches, disordered eating, and a desperate need for the gold. It has been like this for as long as the sport has been around… until now. Team USA’s women’s singles figure skating trio, charmingly nicknamed The Blade Angels, decided that they would be the ones to rewrite the narrative, appearing in the 2026 Winter Olympics and setting the world on fire, or, perhaps more appropriately, ice.
Amber Glenn is the oldest of the trio and the oldest American Olympic Women’s Singles Figure Skater since 1928 at only 26 years old (Mendoza, Journalist). She has distinguished herself in the media for her advocacy and transparency; openly discussing her struggles with eating disorders and mental health. She has openly spoken about the expectation to be slim; Glenn felt that she didn’t fit the mold: too muscular, too “rough around the edges.” (Mendoza, Journalist). However, Glenn came back stronger than ever for the 2026 Olympics, using her platform as a national athlete to speak out about the importance of mental health. Another thing that distinguishes Glenn is that she is the first openly queer woman to represent the USA in singles figure skating, as well as being the first openly queer American woman to win an Olympic Gold Medal in figure skating. Just as she advocates for mental health, Glenn speaks openly about the importance of LGBTQ+ rights. After winning the US Figure Skating Championships, she was photographed with a pride flag, similar to how skaters will wear the flag of their country after competing. At the 2026 Olympics, she kept this trend, wearing a pride pin while speaking to the media.
However, that wasn’t the end of her advocacy at the Olympics. She also spoke out to interviewers about the effect of the current administration on the queer community: “It’s been a hard time for the community overall in this administration. It isn’t the first time that we’ve had to come together as a community and try and fight for our human rights.” (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica). This was an enormously impactful thing for her to say, as athletes at the Olympics do not often speak out about the country they are representing; it almost never happens. (Arthur, Journalist). Amber Glenn truly distinguished herself as the big sister of the Olympic figure skaters, going out of her way to support others and even blocking the cameras from capturing athletes in their most vulnerable state. She fights back against the stereotypes forced onto skaters and uproots the toxicity of the figure skating world in the process.
Alysa Liu is the most decorated of our three Blade Angels, recently winning the women’s singles title, securing herself an Olympic Gold Medal at 20 years old. Back in 2019, Liu was a rising star within the figure skating community, becoming the youngest figure skating champion in American history at 13 years old (Rasilla, Journalist) before abruptly retiring at 16. Liu’s father was the one to tell the media about her decision to step away from figure skating. He stated, “She avoided the ice rink at all costs. She’s traumatized. She was just traumatized. She was suffering from PTSD, and she wouldn’t go near the ice rink.” (Moriarty, Journalist). Liu had spent her life from age 5 on the rink; the pressure and lack of control she constantly experienced eventually led to intense burnout, and she even described skating as a “burden.” (Lentz, Journalist). However, at 18, she decided to give skating another chance, but this time, it was going to be on her own terms. Liu set boundaries for what she would and wouldn’t do, something that frequently doesn’t happen in the world of skating. After qualifying, Alysa Liu found herself at the 2026 Winter Olympics, completely for fun. Liu is a testament to the joy that this sport can hold if skaters can actually enjoy the activity they dedicate their lives to. In everything that she does, from the control of her own skating to her alt appearance, Liu defies all limitations set for professional figure skaters—and won gold in the process.
Isabeau Levito is the youngest of the trio, making her Olympic debut at 18 at a stadium not even fifteen minutes from her grandmother’s house. She may seem similar to other skaters in disposition, but her wit and shocking sense of humor quickly distinguish her from the soft and pure stereotypes that surround female figure skaters. Levito made her mark by the way she spoke, even telling the media, “I’ve spent every night in the [Olympic] Village. It’s been everything and more. And you can’t evict me,” (Schneidman, Journalist). It’s refreshing to see such a carefree attitude from an athlete, as Levito truly was making the most of her time at the Olympics in a way we don’t often see. While this may seem small, there is such a stigmatism surrounding young women figure skaters that her attitude itself is an act of rebellion.
These three skaters have turned the world of figure skating on its head, taking the careful way in which this environment is curated and shredding it to pieces—the importance of this cannot be understated. So many skaters (both professional or not) have put their physical and mental health on the line, in hopes to glean an edge, to sharpen their lines, to jump just slightly higher. To have women like Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu, and Isabeau Levito, skaters on a national stage, can truly change the lives of those who look to them for inspiration. Even for those of us who have left figure skating long in the past, the Blade Angels have redefined something that we will never forget.