On how he responded when his son revealed he was gay
We’ve known for a long, long time that my son EJ was gay. 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.’ [I had to ask him] because he wasn’t going to come to me with it. And so I think Cookie and I just said, ‘You know we should just sit him down’ because also we wanted to protect him too and so I just took him through the birds and the bees talk and made sure he protects himself and protects his partner. [I also asked him], ‘What do you think your friends and other people are going to think and say once you tell them? Have you told anybody?’ At that time we hadn’t really discussed it with anybody but his two closest friends. He had to have been about 12 or 13 years old or 14 years old. I think it was a hard conversation only because he was so young and what do you tell him at that age? And what do you say to him? But other than that I told him ‘Hey! We are here to support you. We’re going to love you no matter who you are or what you do. We just want you to love yourself.’
On becoming a confidant to EJ
When I showed my support and love for him and I told him, ‘Hey I’m good with it. Just be you.’ [He felt relieved] because dad is okay. Because he really wanted to make sure I was okay, he wasn’t worried about his mom, he was worried about me. And once I supported him I became [his confidant] and we could talk more about it. I love EJ soo much. That’s my main man, so I told him,’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. So you have to remember that you can always talk to me or your mother and we’ll just help you along the way.’
On TMZ helping him
As time went on I think he really wanted to be out but he was torn. ‘Okay should I come out and say I’m gay? Or not? Hold it?’ but I have to say TMZ really helped him. This was a good moment for us as a family and a greater moment for him. I think now he is just the bubbly kid we knew again and he is just happy that it is out. […] I’m behind him a hundred percent, this is really wonderful for him.
On the criticism
It’s tough because what happens in our community… When you think about religion it comes into play and so that’s when he is going to get attacked but look, I don’t care who is attacking my son. I’m still going to support him and still love him and he is a good kid. A good young man and this is what he has decided to do. So I told him, once he comes out, expect some of this. We knew this was going to happen because in our community we frown down on gays because we’re so involved in our church and the religion. And Cookie and I go to church every Sunday. So we’re involved in that but this is our son, so we’re going support our son. We’re going to love our son.
It bothers me that they’re discriminating against anybody who is gay. I’ve been in the gay movement for a very longtime because of HIV and AIDS with me, and so I’ve seen young men who were black but couldn’t come out, who couldn’t tell their parents because they were cautious of what will happen […]. It’s my son now and so I’m hoping they will understand that this is 2013 and we should stop discriminating against people and just support them and that’s what I’m going to do with my son […] I think this is going to be good for a lot of black young people, who want to come out. He is going to be that symbol of hope that they can now come out and tell their parents, tell their friends. Both men and women. […] so EJ is really going to help a lot of young people.
Note from the owner of GlitterandSuger: I want to end this entry saying that I have no problems with homosexuals and I feel as if everyone should have the right to love who they want to love. This blog and the owner of this blog views are on things are very open minded and this is a no judgement zone.
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