One group in South Riverdale is working to make swimming accessible for all genders in Toronto by launching the city’s first-ever gender-diverse swim program in open waters.
Cherry Beach has made big waves of transformation over the years. Today, it hosts the Toronto Queer Swim Club, a group that wants to welcome gender-diverse folks into Toronto’s open waters.
“When you look at sports in particular, there’s a lot of history of queer folks not feeling comfortable, whether it’s in sporting groups [or] in change rooms. So, having more and more spaces that kind of create that space where folks can come and feel comfortable enough to come in [is important],” says Tai Hollingbery, head coach and program manager of the swim club.
The club’s open water swim program started in July 2024 at Cherry Beach, where swimmers of all levels meet every Sunday morning. Beginners learn to swim in open water for the first time, while more advanced swimmers train to compete.
Lev Goldberg is training to be the first transgender athlete to swim across Lake Ontario.
“I know for myself, gender dysphoria was one thing that kept me away from the pool for a good chunk of my life from when I was around 10 to when I was about 27,” Goldberg explains. “It took me that long to get back to it. And one thing that made it feel safer and more welcoming was being able to have that space with other queer people, other trans people.”
Downtown Swim Club partners with Toronto Queer Swim Club for its open water program. The 37-year-old club connects skilled swimmers with less experienced ones who identify as queer.
“I think there’s still a lot of heterosexism in sports. I think a lot of gay and lesbian and queer swimmers feel more comfortable swimming with each other and swimming with coaches who understand them, and it emboldens them to pursue the sport, feel comfortable at it and get good at something,” explains John Harvey, director of the Downtown Swim Club. “It also gives them social options afterward and during that wouldn’t be there in another type of club.”
A lack of universal change rooms at open-water locations and feeling like an outsider in the swimming community are just two of the reasons that prevent queer Torontonians from swimming in open water.
There are only three gender-neutral change rooms across the city — none of them at open water locations.
Since April, the club has received over 80 inquiries about swim opportunities for queer and gender-diverse people.
“It’s just a really great opportunity to be able to be there for some people’s first open water swim ever, and to see people learning and experiencing that you can swim in Lake Ontario is just really, really special,” Goldberg adds.