From leaving swimming at age 10 to making history at 29 — this is Lev’s journey.
The Early Days
Swimming has always been part of my identity. By age 8, I was competing regularly on the swim team at my local YMCA, where I was a decent backstroker and a consistent member of the “B” team. Despite my enjoyment of the water, I always struggled during meets and practices with feeling uncomfortable in my body. Now as an adult, I can recognize that it was gender dysphoria that led me to leave the swim team at 10 years old. After that, I rarely returned to the water, and I thought that chapter of my life was closed forever.
Returning to the Water
17 years later, at the age of 27, something unexpected happened– I found my way back to the water. Gender-affirming care, in the form of top surgery and hormone replacement therapy, gave me the confidence to navigate the changing room and get myself back into the pool.
As an adult, I felt a comfort and freedom in the pool that I had never experienced before as a kid on the swim team. I continued to come back day after day, sometimes 7 days a week, teaching myself to swim again through books and videos online.
After several months of re-learning the basics of each stroke and teaching myself flip-turns, I connected with a community of other queer and trans swimmers, and began attending weekly swim practices. The ability to do something I loved with people who made me feel safe and comfortable took the experience to a new level for me, and was an affirmation that I could be myself in these spaces that I had once felt totally uncomfortable to navigate.
From Laps to Lakes
Before returning to the pool at 27, the only time I had experienced the water was when I would find myself at an ocean or lake. There was always something deeply magical to me about these experiences; the freedom of being outside, the refreshing coldness of the water, the majesty of gazing out at a seemingly endless horizon.
As my swims grew longer in the pool, I began to wonder; can I swim in Lake Ontario? A quick google search showed me that I could, and that lots of people did it. Within one month of getting a pool membership, I had created a spreadsheet of open-water events I wanted to participate in. I investigated 5 kilometer, 10 kilometer, and even longer events. I had trained for long-distance running before, and a marathon had always been something I aspired to. I inevitably became curious if there was such a thing as a marathon swim, and to my delight I discovered that there was.
I read about legendary marathon swimmers like Marilyn Bell and Vicki Keith, and I became enraptured by the idea of swimming the 51km journey across Lake Ontario from Niagara-on-the-Lake to Toronto. I also came to know that no other openly transgender person had ever swum across Lake Ontario, or any of the great lakes. My experience of gender dysphoria pulling me away from swimming as a young person, and keeping me out of the pool until adulthood gave me some insight into why this is. I became more determined than ever to make history as the first trans person to swim across any Great Lake.
More Than a Swim
This crossing isn’t just about personal achievement. It’s about expanding what’s possible for transgender individuals everywhere.
In a time when transgender rights are under attack across North America, this swim sends a powerful message: We exist. We persist. And we can achieve extraordinary things.
As someone who works professionally with LGBTQ+ youth, I see firsthand how many struggle to imagine futures for themselves. If my journey helps even one young person hold onto their passion or believe that extraordinary achievements are possible for people like us—then every kilometer will have been worth it.
Looking Forward
Lake Ontario is just the beginning. My ultimate goal is to become the first transgender person to swim across all five Great Lakes—creating a legacy of visibility that extends beyond a single historic moment.
Join the Journey
This August, I’ll take on the 51 kilometer crossing from Niagara-on-the-Lake to Toronto. I invite you to be part of this historic moment:
- Follow my training on Instagram @Lev.Swims.Lakes
- Support the campaign through donations that will cover swim expenses and benefit Youthline.ca
Together, we’re not just crossing a lake—we’re changing the narrative about what’s possible.
Lev Goldberg is a therapist, athlete, and advocate based in Toronto who mentors and works with LGBTQ+ youth.
To Support my Journey and the visibility of Transgender athletes, please consider making a donation to my Gofundme campaign! https://gofund.me/82246672