Gay or straight, biological or adoptive, sometimes the men who shape our lives are more important than originally expected.

That is especially true for the men who grace the cover of the Gay &Lesbian Times’ Father’s Day issue this week.

A week before Father’s Day, Terence Duke, took time out of his busy life for a photo shoot with two of his three 15-year-old sons – Michael Figoli-Duke and Peter Figoli Duke. His other son, James Figoli-Duke, was busy with school engagements and could not make it to the shoot.

Duke will likely spend Father’s Day this year as he does many other weekends with his sons – having lunch together and going to Balboa Park to play with their dog Riley.

According to Duke, he has been blessed to experience fatherhood, with three sons who have made it through childhood and into adolescence with minimal problems.

Now, however, Duke said he may be facing one of his biggest challenges as the boys turn 16 in a few months.

“For years they have heard stories about how my father took me to empty parking lots to teach me how to drive,” he said. “They have recently been bugging me to take them out to learn to drive the same way and that is quite scary.”

Duke admitted he is surprised about his growing anxiety as all three boys are fast approaching driving age.

Becoming the father of triplets in the first place was also somewhat of a surprise to Duke.

“When I agreed to be the donor to artificially inseminate a good friend I was caught off guard when I found out she was pregnant with triplets. I originally didn’t plan to be as involved in the fatherhood of the child,” he admitted.

Still Duke said he didn’t give fatherhood a second thought.

“Of course it was shocking and it grounded me as a person, but it also made me focus on the bigger picture,” Duke said.

Like any other family, being a gay father is no different than being a straight father, according to the 45-year-old hairstylist who lives in Hillcrest. Duke’s sons – who are involved in school activities, karate and have a passion for scuba diving – constantly keep him busy.

“I have the same fears as any parents whether straight or gay. That’s part of the package and they work themselves out as they should. It’s been one of the most rewarding things ever,” Duke said.

He admitted at first he was concerned the boys would run into problems because of the fact that they had a gay dad. But having raised three sons and being open and honest with them about who he is he learned they likely would not be friends with anyone who took issue with him as a father.

But Duke did admit there may be one difference to gay fatherhood.

The triplets have a taste for gourmet food, which can get expensive, he said.

“But in the end they are your typical everyday smelly teens. And I’m constantly bugging them about their hair,” he concluded.