During a recent interview with TMZ, former NBA superstar Magic Johnson shared that he always knew his son E.J. was gay and that he supports him.
EJ Johnson made headlines last month when he was filmed casually walking in Los Angeles speaking with the cameraman about the newly renovated Staples Center. To many, it was obvious that the younger Johnson was gay.
“We’ve known for a long, long time that my son EJ was gay,” Magic Johnson told TMZ. “It’s interesting when you’re his parent and we finally had to sit down and talk about it. I told him, ‘Look, I’m going to love you regardless. Just let me know are you or aren’t you gay?’ And finally he just said, ‘Yes, I am.'”
During the interview, Magic Johnson shared that the discussion he had with his son happened in EJ’s early teens, and broke the tension that otherwise would have haunted EJ’s teen years.
“He had to have been about 12 or 13 years old,” Magic Johnson said. “I think it was a hard conversation only because he was so young and what do you tell him at that age? ”
Magic Johnson went on to say that by showing his love and support, he became his son’s confidant.
“I told him, ‘Hey, I’m good with it. Just be you,'” Magic Johnson recalled. “I love EJ so much. That’s my main man, so I told him that nothing has changed. ‘I just want to help you along the way because a lot of people are going to be happy for you and then some won’t understand. You have to remember that you can always talk to me or your mother.'”
In an interview posted on the YouTube.com talk show “Gwissues,” EJ Johnson said that he didn’t feel violated after TMZ recently revealed that he’s gay.
“I always wanted to come into the spotlight,” he said. “I always had dreams and plans of doing my own thing and creating my own image, so it came a little sooner than I thought it would but this is still something I knew I would be going through and would have to experience.”
