Q. My 17-year-old son just told me he is gay but that I shouldn't worry because he's in good company—Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo were both gay. I told him, in no uncertain terms mind you, that those men were artists and Da Vinci was also a scientist.

A. Did you have a question? Your comments suggest a number of concerns you might have. For example:

  1. Are you upset that your son is comparing himself with a couple of the most brilliant minds in history?
  2. Is your perception that being an artist/scientist negates the possibility that the individual could also be gay?
  3. Are you wondering whether Da Vinci and Michelangelo really were gay?

Being an artist/scientist and being gay are not mutually exclusive concepts. Rather they are overlays. Should you choose to do so, you can access Wikipedia and find lists of notable individuals who have self-identified as homosexual or bisexual, or whose homosexuality or bisexuality has been backed by sources that are usually considered reliable. And yes, as a matter of interest, both Da Vinci and Michelangelo are on the Wikipedia list. View the list here.