Magic Johnson opens up about the struggles he dealt with while trying to accept his son’s sexual orientation.
During an interview with Variety, Magic and his son EJ recalled how hard it was for the former basketball star to accept EJ’s sexuality. According to EJ, all of his friends knew of his sexual preference, but his parents were “the last people” to know.
“I was out to all my friends,” EJ says. “[My parents] were the last people that I really had to talk to about it. It wasn’t new for me, but they had to really take that in and digest it. Especially my dad, because he was really the last person to talk to. I think it was just a lot for him to swallow in that conversation. A lot of just going back and forth. And he just was rattling off about things that weren’t particularly nice. But he’s not somebody who works great being cornered or surprised.”
Initially, EJ says Magic would create certain rules for how he could dress. One rule, in particular, was EJ wasn’t allowed to bring scarves, a piece of his signature style, into the house.
“He’d come up with stupid rules: ‘No scarves in the house,’” EJ continues. “But it’s really not about scarves. It’s really about him seeing you be you.”
However, EJ and Magic eventually repaired their relationship, and now the ex NBA player says, “He changed me. He was so proud. This dude here is just so proud of who he is.”
In 2020, Magic spoke with the New York Times, saying he believed EJ would have a hard time given the stigma around gay men and HIV.
“As a parent, I wanted EJ to know that we loved him and would always love him,” Magic explained. “My job as a father is to protect him. His family and those that know him would always love him, but there would be people that don’t know him and may not approve. Some people may not be nice, but it wasn’t about him. I wanted to prepare him and let him know that I would always support him.”
