<div>My name is Lev Goldberg, and I am a marathon swimmer based in Toronto, on a journey to <strong>become the first openly transgender person to swim across all five Great Lakes, raising money to support 2SLGBTQ+ youth.</strong>
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<div>Last year on September 2-3, 2025, I became the first openly transgender person to <a href="https://www.torontotoday.ca/local/sports/trans-swimmer-lev-goldberg-completes-historic-lake-ontario-crossing-11161210" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">swim across Lake Ontario</a> or any Great Lake. That 51km swim took me 24 hours, 25 minutes, and 15 seconds, swimming from Niagara-on-the-Lake to Toronto, and it was only made possible thanks to the immense generosity and support of my community. With everyone's help, <strong>I was able to raise enough funds to cover all my swim costs and make a donation of $7,000 to </strong><a href="https://www.youthline.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LGBT Youthline</a> , a peer support organization for 2SLGBTQ+ youth in Ontario.
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<div><strong>Now I am taking on my next challenge: swimming 55km across Lake Huron. </strong>I want each of my swims to be efforts that show 2SLGTBQ+ youth, and especially trans youth, that sport is for them too, and they can take on huge challenges and chase their dreams.
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<div>I also want my swims to support vital resources for queer and trans youth which are needed now more than ever. So, this swim will also be a fundraiser for LGBT Youthline, to continue to support them in the vital work they do for queer and trans youth in Ontario.
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<div>Swimming and athletics in general have not always been accessible to me. Gender dysphoria kept me out of the pool for 18 years, from ages 9 to 27. I only returned to swimming as an adult, and I began setting big goals immediately.
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<div>After just three years of training, I accomplished my Lake Ontario swim. Open water swimming is now my passion, and it’s exciting to be a visibly trans person in this space, becoming that representation for others where previously I had seen very little.
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<div>I have a strong personal connection to LGBT Youthline, having served as a peer support volunteer myself when I was newly out as transgender at age 20. That experience helped me find community and develop skills that led me to become a therapist now, working primarily with 2SLGBTQ+ youth.
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<div><strong>I know firsthand that the work that Youthline does is vitally important</strong>, especially as transphobia and homophobia are on the rise and many youth feel unsupported and alone. Youthline trains and empowers 2SLGBTQ+ youth to provide anonymous, confidential peer support to fellow queer and trans youth in need.
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<div>All money raised through this fundraiser will cover the necessary costs for my Lake Huron swim including:
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<li>lead boat and captain
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<li>small inflatable boat rentals
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<li>safety equipment
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<li>coaching
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<li>crew
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<div>All extra funds beyond these necessary costs will be donated directly to LGBT Youthline to support their vital peer support services!
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<div><strong>Please support this journey to help me make history as the first openly transgender person to swim across Lake Huron, and to uplift 2SLGBTQ+ youth</strong>. Every contribution helps make this swim possible and strengthens a vital community resource.
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Anonymous

Sara Driscoll

Catherine Lindley

Family Sharpe

Nigel D Allen

Jalisa Williams

Suzy Silberschmidt

Renny Wheable

Kay M

Sandra Thomas

Laura Landstrom

Helen Yoo

Katherine Symington

David Barron

Ronald Loewen

55km swim for 2SLGBTQ youth: Historic Lake Huron Crossing

55km swim for 2SLGBTQ youth: Historic Lake Huron Crossing

Still $1,030 to go. Help us build momentum.