A gay app creator who was once offered an $18 million (£13.5 million) deal for his idea, has spoken about the importance of representation and why he believes authenticity is the key to success.
Kyle Mckitty, the chief executive of The App Kit, which creates digital tools for LGBTQ+ spaces, including events such as Everyday People, and venues such as Sweatbox Soho, told PinkNews the key to success lies in his belief that nothing should “define” a person.
“I am a testament to that,” he said. “I am Black, and I am gay, and I can move within so many different spaces because I present myself well and I’m good at what I do.”
Vice previously recognised Everyday People, a global gay-friendly event series founded in New York, which now spans the US, Europe and Africa, as “the world’s coolest”, adding that it was “also a safe space for people of colour”.
Speaking about the response to the app, Kyle admitted he had been “a little bit overwhelmed” but now hopes to expand it so that users can not only buy tickets but also connect with others.
Despite the tech sector’s slow progress on diversity – research undertaken by the Women Tech Network last year revealed that LGBTQ+ people make up just two to three per cent of the industry – Kyle’s story proves what’s possible when barriers are challenged.
‘You have to bring the right people into your company’
Growing up in Manchester, he trained as a dancer, specialising in ballet, jazz and tap. At 16, he earned a scholarship to a dance school in London.
“Moving to the city helped me,” he said. Being the only Black boy at the school, it was “a struggle, but a different type of struggle to what it was being in Manchester”.
By 18, he had moved to New York and found a community of openly gay friends. Their support gave him the courage to come out to his mum. Her response? “I already knew but I was waiting for you to tell me. I will always love you,” she wrote in an email he still remembers fondly.
Before becoming an app developer, Kyle worked in PR, including a stint with Rihanna’s team. After creating a dance app, he pitched it to several companies. Samsung made him the multi-million-dollar offer, which ultimately fell through nine months later when a new chief executive took over.
“I still made a lot of money selling the code, which helped me to create The App Kit,” he said. “I don’t code, I’ve never learnt to code. You just have to bring the right people into your company [who] are great at what they do.”
‘We have to stand up’
Speaking about the current political climate in the US, Kyle voiced his concerns at the rise in anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, there are currently more than 570 anti-queer bills being tracked across the country.
“Everything is really heightened at the moment,” he said. “But I hope things will change, and that will only happen if people start making the change.”
Quoting Oprah, he added: “Become the change you want to see.”
He went on to say: “We have to stand up and say, ‘this is what we want, this is how we want it’. We need to love who we love and be proud of everything we stand for because it will make the change for somebody else, and that’s how we create a movement.”
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