GRAND Magazine - January/February 2017 - 20
cover story
Continued from previous page
"Of course, they grow up and go out into the world, and that's a different
story! Now they want all of the glitz and glamour," she laughed.
Cookie speaks poignantly about their openness with Elisa about her adoption, stressing that they worked with a therapist to share the right type of
information for the age of their daughter. It started at around age four when
friends were having babies and she was curious about her time in mommy's
tummy.
"We told her we got to choose her from all of the little babies out there,
and that she was beautiful and special," says Cookie. "At age eight or nine she
wanted to know who she looked like and it kind of broke my heart. She was
very curious. When she was 13 I gave her a photo of her birth parents and
that was pretty traumatic. The reality hit her that she came from someone else.
There were lots of tears."
Much more high profile was EJ's coming out publicly as gay. This was certainly harder as the son of a macho, elite athlete. Cookie also shares this story
recounting that Earvin's initial reaction was tough, but with time and thought,
he came around.
"Looking back, there were things EJ did as a child that may have been signs.
He liked to dress up in girl clothes and didn't grow out of it. He hid it because I
was telling him he needed to stop," she says. "Then he became a teenager and I
noticed him checking out boys instead of girls and it dawned on me; it was time
to have a talk."
"I confronted him and asked if he was gay. He said 'Yes, Mom, I think I am.'
I told him to be who you are and we'll talk to Daddy. That was hard for EJ.
Earvin was truly worried the world wouldn't accept him and be friendly."
"
"
We need to get rid of the stigma
of coming out. We shouldn't put
kids in a box.
"We need to get rid of the stigma of coming out. We shouldn't put kids in
a box. We hope our journey can help to do that. You just have to nurture your
kids and help them be good, secure, confident people. That shouldn't be any
different because they are gay. It's not a choice; they are born that way."
Ironically, it has been 25 years since Earvin "Magic" Johnson revealed his
20 GRAND
JANUARY FEBRUARY 2017
Magic, Cookie, Elisa and EJ
Continued on next page
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of GRAND Magazine - January/February 2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2024spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2024winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2023fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2023summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2023winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2022fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2022summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2022spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2022winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2021fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2021summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2021spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2021winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2020fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2020fall_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2020summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2020spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/2020winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/20191112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/20190910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/20190708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/20190506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/20190304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/20190102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/20181112_drm
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/20181112
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/20180708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/20180506
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/20180102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/20171112
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/20170708
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