51km for Trans Visibility: Historic Lake Ontario Crossing

The Challenge: One Historic Crossing. One Powerful Message.

This August, history will be made in the waters of Lake Ontario.

My name is Lev Goldberg, and I'm preparing for a challenge that's never been attempted before: becoming the first openly transgender person to swim across Lake Ontario—a 51-kilometer journey beginning at Niagara-on-the-Lake and ending in Toronto.

But this swim represents so much more than just crossing a lake.

Finding My Way Back to Water

Swimming was my first love. At 8, I was competing at my local YMCA—a decent backstroker on the "B" team. But what I couldn't name then was gender dysphoria, which forced me to abandon the pool at age 10. For 17 years, I stayed away, believing that chapter was closed forever.

Then at 27, everything changed. Gender-affirming care gave me the confidence to return to the water. The feeling was transformative—a freedom I'd never known before. I taught myself to swim again through books and videos, practicing almost daily, and eventually found a community of queer and trans swimmers who made me feel safe and seen.

As a therapist now working with LGBTQ+ youth, I see young people struggling to imagine futures in a world that often tells them they don't belong. This swim is for them.

More Than Just a Swim

Each stroke across Lake Ontario will stand for something greater:

Visibility: In a time when transgender rights are under attack across North America, this swim creates vital visibility for the transgender community in spaces where we've been historically absent.

Resilience: The challenging nature of a 51km open water swim mirrors the resilience required to navigate the world as a transgender person.

Possibility: This crossing will write a new chapter in Great Lakes swimming history and show transgender youth that there are no boundaries to what they can achieve.

This crossing will make history as the first time an openly transgender person has crossed any Great Lake, sending a powerful message: We exist. We persist. And we can achieve extraordinary things.

Supporting Youth Through LGBT Youthline

While raising visibility is a core mission of this swim, I'm also dedicated to supporting LGBT Youthline, a youth-led organization providing critical peer support to LGBTQ+ young people across Ontario. Their work saves lives and creates hope when it's needed most.

All funds raised beyond the $12,500 CAD needed for essential swim expenses will go directly to LGBT Youthline to support their vital services.

What Your Donation Makes Possible

To complete this historic crossing safely, we need to cover essential expenses:

Your donations will first ensure this historic event can happen safely (approximately $12,500 CAD). Every additional dollar raised will go directly to LGBT Youthline to support LGBTQ+ youth across Ontario.

The Greater Vision: All Five Great Lakes

Lake Ontario is just the beginning. With your support, this campaign will expand to an even more ambitious goal: becoming the first openly transgender person to swim across all five Great Lakes. Each crossing will continue raising awareness and funds for organizations supporting LGBTQ+ youth.

Join This Historic Journey

Follow the Training Journey

Track my preparation and upcoming events on Instagram @lev.swims.lakes or on my blog at levswimslakes.ca

Attend Community Events in Toronto

We're hosting several events leading up to the swim:

Show Your Support

(coming soon!). Purchase official campaign merchandise at levswimslakes.ca

Corporate Partnerships

We welcome discussions about sponsorship opportunities that align with your organization's values of inclusion and representation.

Your Impact Is Immeasurable

Your donation creates three powerful ripples of change:

1. Makes this historic swim possible

2. Creates unprecedented visibility for transgender athletes in outdoor spaces

3. Directly supports LGBTQ+ youth through LGBT Youthline

Every contribution matters—whether it's $5 or $500. This isn't just about one swim or one swimmer. It's about expanding what's possible for an entire community.

Thank you for being part of this journey across waters and boundaries. Together, we're not just crossing a lake—we're changing the narrative about what's possible.

With gratitude and determination,

Lev Goldberg

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"This isn't just about one swim - it's about expanding and showing what's possible for all of us."