20 Celebrity Parents Whose Children Are Out And Proud As LGBTQ+

It can be hard to come out of the closet when your family is in the spotlight — actually, it can be hard to come out, period. So being the center of intense scrutiny based on who your parents are can only make the already-stressful process even harder! Thankfully, when these celebrity parents learned that their kids identified with the LGBTQ+ community, they responded with love and support. But that doesn't mean the road to acceptance was always easy for these famous families. After all, their stories are so inspiring because of just how much they overcame...

20. Magic Johnson and E.J. Johnson

Back in 2013, Magic Johnson’s son E.J. faced the unpleasant situation of being outed by gossip website TMZ. But E.J.’s parents were there for him. Speaking to the YouTube show Gwissues that year, the young man said, “I am very, very, very blessed to have the family that I do. My parents have always been super supportive.”

A magical realization

Three years later, Johnson confessed on Good Morning America that he “didn’t want” E.J. to be gay but soon changed his mind. He said, “I had to come to realize that this is who he is, and he’s going to be happy. And so why am I judging him? I’m his father, so I got to be the first one to say, ‘it’s okay and I love you. Now, how can I help you?’”

19. Marcia Gay Harden and Hudson Harden Scheel

Hudson, the 18-year-old son of actress Marcia Gay Harden, came out as gay while still a young teenager. Harden quickly began working to support him. In 2018 she attended the Family Equality Council’s Impact Awards and while there told Us Weekly magazine, “The cause is dear to me, yes. My son is gay. I just want to make sure he gets to have a family when he wants one.”

She's an activist for the LGBTQ+ community

And in 2019 Harden filmed a clip in support of the Equality Act. She said “Over half of LGBT people live in states where they are not protected. That makes me think about my son, who is part of the LGBT community, and I would never in a second think that he should not have the same rights that his twin sister does, who is not gay.”