Episode Notes

On this episode, I'm joined by author and professional skater Karina Manta. With her ice dance partner Joe Johnson, Karina competed internationally for the US. Karina and Joe made history as the first team where both partners were out as LGBTQ, and Karina was also the first woman skater to come out while competing - it took until 2018 to break that barrier, which is just mindblowing!

Karina’s memoir is called "On Top of Glass, My Stories as a Queer Girl in Figure Skating." She’s a beautiful writer and I highly recommend the book! Since retiring from competition in 2019, Karina has also toured with Cirque de Soleil and won the British reality show Dancing on Ice.

You can see a transcript for this episode here

You can follow Karina @karinamanta on Instagram. Her website is karinamanta.com. You reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at [email protected] or on Instagram and Twitter @futurefspodcast

Remember to subscribe to The Future of Figure Skating podcast on whatever platform you use, and share it with your friends!

Resources and Links:

“Karina Manta is Team USA’s First Out Female Figure Skater” The Advocate, 2018

“On Top of Glass: My Stories as a Queer Girl in Figure Skating” 2021 (linked to Amazon for reference but please support your local bookstore)

Manta/Johnson FD 2019 US Nationals - their rendition of "Sweet Dreams" received a standing ovation in Detroit.

Regan Gascoigne and Karina Manta skating in Dancing on Ice (Final) (27/3/22)

Ice Dance International performance of “Revival” including Karina and Joe

The Skating Body is on Instagram @theskatingbody

I referenced “Little Girls in Pretty Boxes: The Making and Breaking of Elite Gymnasts and Figure Skaters” by Joan Ryan. Originally published in 1995, it also has an updated edition from 2018