Magic Johnson on Learng to Accept His Gay Son EJ: 'He Changed Me' - Variety

Contents:

• MAGIC JOHNSON ON LEARNG TO ACCEPT HIS GAY SON: 'HE CHANGED ME'
• MAGIC JOHNSON ON LEARNG TO ACCEPT HIS GAY SON EJ: ‘HE CHANGED ME’
• MAGIC JOHNSON SAYS SON EJ G OUT AS GAY 'CHANGED' HIM: 'HE WAS JT SO PROUD'
• MAGIC JOHNSON OPENS UP ABOUT GAY SON EJ: “I LOVE HIM SO MUCH”
• MAGIC JOHNSON TALKS ABOUT G TO LOVE HIS GAY SON
• MAGIC JOHNSON ON GAY SON EJ: 'I WAS JT WAG ON HIM TO TELL ME' (VIDEO)
• MAGIC JOHNSON OPENS UP ABOUT GAY SON

MAGIC JOHNSON ON LEARNG TO ACCEPT HIS GAY SON: 'HE CHANGED ME'

“Very European, ” says EJ Johnson, the son of Magic Johnson, as he rells when he me out as gay to his father. I’m gay, but I didn’t want to tell my parents. “Very European, ” says EJ Johnson, the son of Magic Johnson, as he rells when he me out as gay to his father.

Over the years, Magic and Cookie have been open about their rponsibili as parents — like when Magic told Ellen DeGener that he was "so happy" when their son EJ me out as gay.

EJ publicly me out as gay 2013, though he me out to his fay several years earlier. In 2014, EJ told PEOPLE that, although his parents "pretty much already knew" that he was gay, they were worried about the public's reactn.

MAGIC JOHNSON ON LEARNG TO ACCEPT HIS GAY SON EJ: ‘HE CHANGED ME’

In an terview wh Entertament Tonight ahead of the release of his new Apple TV+ doceri They Call Me Magic, the former Lakers star, 62, revealed that EJ, who me out publicly as gay 2013, helped spire Wa, 40, and Unn, 49, who publicly opened up about Zaya's genr inty more than two years ago. Earv “EJ” Johnson, the son of basketball superstar Magic Johnson, is talkg about what was like to e out as gay to his famo father back , who starred on the E! While EJ, who is also the son of Magic’s wife Cookie Johnson, said he was out to all of his iends, but that his parents were “the last people” he spoke to about Johnson, the son of basketball legend Magic Johnson, spoke about what was like g out as gay to his father.

MAGIC JOHNSON SAYS SON EJ G OUT AS GAY 'CHANGED' HIM: 'HE WAS JT SO PROUD'

"The former NBA player, who beme an activist for HIV/AIDS rearch after he publicly announced his HIV posive stat 1991, spoke to The New York Tim  2020 about how he ially thought might be hard for EJ given the stigma around gay men and HIV.

MAGIC JOHNSON OPENS UP ABOUT GAY SON EJ: “I LOVE HIM SO MUCH”

EJ was outed as gay by TMZ 2013 before starrg the E! He has also been a gut star on Real Hbands of Hollywood and lent his voice to the Disney animated seri The Proud Fay: Lour and by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Imag for “To Kill A Mockgbird”“When my son me out, I was so happy for him and happy for as parents”EJ reportedly me out as gay 2013, and Magic and his wife have been credibly supportive of his journey.

Sports legend and AIDS activist Magic Johnson took a backseat earlier this week to his 20-year-old son, EJ, who me out of the closet as gay after he was photographed ( a memorable outf!

"We've known for a long time that my son EJ was gay, " Johnson explaed.

MAGIC JOHNSON TALKS ABOUT G TO LOVE HIS GAY SON

Johnson acknowledged that EJ and his fay have suffered some negative, homophobic backlash some rners of the sports and Ain-Amerin muni.

"It bothers me that they're discrimatg agast anybody who's gay, " he said. "I've been the gay movement for a long time bee of HIV and AIDS.

MAGIC JOHNSON ON GAY SON EJ: 'I WAS JT WAG ON HIM TO TELL ME' (VIDEO)

Magic Johnson’s offered nothg but love and support when he was first publicly asked about his gay son. EJ says his parents were the last people to know he was gay.

At that pot, the vis was still monly viewed as a gay problem. “Along the way Magic enuntered the same sort of prejudice and discrimatn that many gay men had to al wh, but not once do I rell Magic nouncg the gay muny orr to ‘clear his name, ’” wrote gay Los Angel sportswrer LZ Granrson 2008.

The sociale and TV personaly me out as gay 2013 when TMZ posted a vio of EJ wh his then-boyiend. EJ told the magaze that he was first out as gay to his iends before his parents.

MAGIC JOHNSON OPENS UP ABOUT GAY SON

On "Oprah's Next Chapter, " Cookie and Magic open up about how they learned their son was gay and why their love is unndnal. "I read a story where you went to him and said, 'Are you gay? " Cookie says she and Magic have known for a long time that their son was gay.