Featured Image Credit: WANG Zhao / AFP via Getty Images
Topics: Olympics, Sport, Women's Health, Health, Periods
Rhiannon Ingle
Topics: Olympics, Sport, Women's Health, Health, Periods
Team USA Olympian Amber Glenn has been inundated with praise after opening up about the reality of competing in the Games while on her period.
The 26-year-old figure skater spoke frankly about what many women athletes have to contend with following her shaky performance last week.
Glenn stepped onto the ice and performed a routine to 'Like a Prayer' by Madonna. During her routine, she went for a triple toe loop and unfortunately missed it, with the mistake proving very costly, dropping her to 13th with 67.39 points.
Following her final performance last Thursday (19 February), Glenn spoke to the media, where she discussed the important topic of the suffering that competing female athletes have to deal with while menstruating.
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She shared that she was on her period during the performance and candidly revealed how hard it was for her.
"I’m on my period right now, so it’s always really hard, especially when you have to perform in front of the whole world. It’s scary, and it makes you extra emotional, and it’s hard. And you have to go be an athlete. It’s something that we don’t really talk about a lot for female athletes, and I think it should be a topic of discussion," she told reporters.
While some trolls were up in arms over Glenn's comments, claiming she shared 'too much information', but, fortunately, much of the internet rushed in to congratulate the athlete for bringing awareness to the matter.
One Instagram user outlined: "Calling it 'too much information' doesn’t make sense. It’s a normal, significant part of life. When you’re performing at the highest level of athletics, it’s probably something that should be talked about."
A second echoed: "'That’s too much information', no, it’s literally 1/4 of our lives, and this is someone performing in a leotard at the very highest level of athletics - it probably is something that should be talked about."
"Us guys haven't got a clue. So we should really keep our opinions to ourselves," put forward a third as a fourth chimed in: "Dude, I can’t imagine the pain and paranoia that I’d start bleeding in front of millions of people, having to lock in and perform physically at my peak. Much respect, homie."
A fifth praised: "It feels hard to stand for more than 3 hours straight on my period cuz it makes my legs weak. To be able to compete in the Olympics is amazing."
"Adding the anxiety of possibly going viral for something that isn’t exactly what you wanted to go viral for, on top of elite-level pressure, sounds absolutely crushing," echoed another.
And a final Instagram user added: "Big applause to her for not only getting out there and doing this, but speaking up for women everywhere about it! We go through so much physical and emotional pain every single month, for an entire week or more, and we show up. For anyone who thinks this is TMI, GROW UP. This is a very natural part of life. Get it, girl!"
Glenn came through the qualifiers in 13th, but returned on Thursday, qualifying in fifth place with a total of 214.91, per College Sports Network.