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Kyle Applegate was born on June 3rd, 1963 in Los Angeles, California. He was born to a family of artists based in New York- his father a draftsman, his mother an artist, his oldest sister was a tattoo artist, his middle sister an oil painter, and his grandmother a seamstress.
Kyle’s early life was defined by unspoken differences, tinkering in the garage with tools and pens with his dad and growing up enjoying different things than his two sisters––behaviors that outsiders considered more “masculine”. Kyle never thought much of it and never felt like he didn’t fit in. “I was just being me in the world.” Through his relationships, Kyle’s gender would further be challenged, often feeling like the most masculine partner, working technical jobs, and comments from family members that made it clear he was different–though he never questioned his sexuality.
As an escape from escalating conflicts with his mother, Kyle married early to get out of the house. After weathering many complications with his partner, among them difficulty in conceiving a child, they got divorced and Kyle started on a journey of empowerment through martial arts, boxing, and therapy.
After years of therapy, Kyle decided to go on a half dose of testosterone “and it was like a warm bath….I felt like I had had estrogen poisoning- it wasn’t the right chemical in my system.” Being perceived as male allowed him to be more comfortable in his femininity. Through tantric sex, Kyle began exploring people through energy, with his time as a dominitrix and introduction to the leather community cementing the appeal. “As a trans person, you didn’t have to be exposed or vulnerable, but you could still have fun.“ Discovering people through connection and energy meant intentionally interacting with all types of people, and through polyamory, Kyle gained a better perspective of his gender identity by being free to explore all the different sides of himself.
Wanting the professional credentials to be of service to a diverse population, Kyle went to seminary and graduated as an independent minister in 2012. In 2020 he joined the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to spread joy and rid the world of stigmatic guilt.
Kyle was 50 when he began identifying as an artist like the rest of his family, finding a passion in woodworking and sewing. Having journaled for necessity in the past, Kyle released a book of poetry spanning 25 years of expressive poems. His poetry book, Sacred Scroll, is the first of more books of poetry he plans to publish.
At a leather fundraiser, Kyle met his–now–husband. Their relationship has blossomed into a “revolutionary” story of genuine connection and love. Kyle continues to be a counselor for members of his community, using his vast perspectives before and after transitioning to better connect and inform his clients. For Kyle, “Transitioning is physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, there’s all these categories to transition.” Each stage of the process has been a stepping stone that has brought him closer into his own power.

