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joeybee12

(56,177 posts)
Thu Apr 4, 2013, 11:00 AM Apr 2013

Magic Johnson Opens Up About Gay Son EJ: "I Love Him So Much"

Sports legend and AIDS activist Magic Johnson took a backseat earlier this week to his 20-year-old son, EJ, who came out of the closet as gay after he was photographed (in a memorable outfit!) holding hands with a reported boyfriend in West Hollywood. The former L.A. Laker, 53, opened up about his son's coming out in an emotional, lengthy interview with TMZ.

Although EJ's sexuality wasn't publicly known until Tuesday's headlines, it was a simple matter of fact in the family for years, with Magic and wife Cookie having "the talk" with EJ when he was about 12 years old. "We've known for a long time that my son EJ was gay," Johnson explained. "We finally had to sit down and talk about it. I told him, 'Look, I'm gonna love you regardless, just let me know. Are you, or aren't you?' And finally he said, 'Yes, I am.'"

Johnson explained the chat was "hard" simply because "he was so young . . . I told him, 'We are here to support you. We are gonna love no matter who you are, what you do. We just want you to love yourself and also make sure that you have all the information,'" explained Johnson, who has long worked with the LGBT community and advocated safe sex practices since announcing his own HIV-positive status in 1992. "I wanted to provide him with advice and guidance."

EJ himself was nervous about his father's reaction, Johnson recalled. "He really wanted to make sure I was okay. He wasn't worried about his mom, he was worried about me." Those fears were unfounded. "I love EJ so much. That's my main man. I told him, 'Nothing has changed.'"

http://omg.yahoo.com/news/magic-johnson-opens-gay-son-ej-love-him-123000596-us-weekly.html

6 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Magic Johnson Opens Up About Gay Son EJ: "I Love Him So Much" (Original Post) joeybee12 Apr 2013 OP
Good for him. EOTE Apr 2013 #1
Damn abelenkpe Apr 2013 #2
K&R. And it's good that Magic publicly acknowledged that he knew EJIII was gay Zorra Apr 2013 #3
I agree...saved the kid several years of knowing and wondering joeybee12 Apr 2013 #5
I think I have something in my eye Politicub Apr 2013 #4
Yay! shenmue Apr 2013 #6

EOTE

(13,409 posts)
1. Good for him.
Thu Apr 4, 2013, 11:03 AM
Apr 2013

It always makes me glad to hear of a parent who helps their child to come out in an emotionally supportive manner. Johnson has always seemed like a truly good man to me, I'm really glad to hear this story. I also think he provides a very positive message to women and men infected with HIV that HIV is extremely far from a death sentence, especially in today's day and age.

 

joeybee12

(56,177 posts)
5. I agree...saved the kid several years of knowing and wondering
Thu Apr 4, 2013, 02:50 PM
Apr 2013

whether he should tell his parents.

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