Gay officer featured on cover of Sports Illustrated

Wow. How incredible is this cover picture?

Openly gay police officer Javier Pagan is one of three first responders to the Boston marathon bombings who are featured on the new cover of Sports Illustrated.

Officer Pagan was ID'd on Boston Pride's Facebook page after the photo went viral:

"The Police Officer to the far right is a good friend of Boston Pride! He is the Boston Police Gay Liaison to the community Javier Pagan. One of the First Responders who was miraculously standing right behind the flags where the first bomb went off---- Boston Pride would like to thank Javier for all you do!"

The Dallas Voice reports:

Officer Pagan’s husband, Pedro, is a retired sergeant from the New York Police Department who rescued many people when the Twin Towers collapsed on Sept. 11, 2001, according to a recent profile of Pagan by a Boston CrossFit site. Pagan also escorted LGBT civil rights attorney Mary Bonauto to City Hall Plaza on May 17, 2004, when the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled in favor of marriage equality.

Pagan, a native of Puerto Rico who came out at 26 a year after joining the force, was profiled by the Bay Windows LGBT newspaper when he was named to the position in 2002.

While we're identifying Pagan because this site deals with LGBT issues, it's important that we thank ALL first responders and everyone who stepped up in this time of crisis. Thank you for the inspiration in humanity.

True heroes.

(source)