Joseph DeFilippis

Joseph Nicholas DeFilippis
CitizenshipUnited States
EducationVassar College, Hunter College School of Social Work, Portland State University
Alma materVassar College
OccupationActivist
Years active1989–present
EmployerSeattle University
Known forfounded Queers for Economic Justice
AwardsUnion Square Award (2004) and CSWE Minority Fellowship Award (2010)

Joseph DeFilippis (born 1967) is an American gay-rights and anti-poverty activist, who has served as executive director of two non-profit organizations and worked as a teacher, community organizer and public speaker. He is best known as the founder of Queers for Economic Justice.[1]

Early life

DeFilippis was born and raised in Queens in New York City, the biracial son of two immigrants.[2] He graduated from Vassar College in 1989[3] and obtained a Masters in Social Work in 1999 from Hunter College School of Social Work.

Career

DeFilippis is a professor at Seattle University, and the author of numerous scholarly articles and books. From 1999 to 2003, DeFilippis served as the Director of SAGE/Queens, a non-profit serving gay and lesbian senior citizens.[4][5][6] He was the LGBT Liaison for the County of Westchester,[7] where he worked to expand outreach to LGBT people of color and low-income LGBT people.[8] DeFilippis abruptly left the liaison position after a few months.[9]

In 2003, DeFilippis founded Queers for Economic Justice, a non-profit organization in New York City that works with low-income lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. DeFilippis was its first executive director from 2003 to 2009, during which time he built the organization from a volunteer organization into a nationally recognized non-profit organization,[1][10][11] with programs working on issues such as homelessness,[12][13] welfare,[14][15][16] immigration[17][18] and others.[19]

Under his leadership, Queers for Economic Justice succeeded in changing various NYC laws and policies impacting homeless transgender people[20] and homeless domestic partners.[21] Other founders or board members of QEJ include seasoned LGBT activists Terry Boggis, Kenyon Farrow, Felix Gardon, Monroe France, Reina Gossett(Tourmaline(activist)), Amber Hollibaugh, Ignacio Rivera, Jessica Stern, and Jay Toole; anti-poverty activists Ricky Blum, Aine Duggan and Maureen Lane; and noted scholars and authors Ann Cammett, Martin Duberman, Lisa Duggan, Richard Kim and Dean Spade.

Queers for Economic Justice was born out of the work of the Queer Economic Justice Network, a coalition of dozens of anti-poverty and gay rights organizations that DeFilippis founded and coordinated from 1999 to 2003.[1] The Queer Economic Justice Network primarily focused on the impact of the welfare reforms of 1996 on LGBT people,[22][23][24] but also addressed other progressive causes.[25] During this same period he also served on the Steering Committee of the Welfare Reform Network, a coalition of welfare rights organizations in New York City.[22]

He has taught at Seattle University since 2015 in the Department of Anthropology, Sociology, and Social Work.[26]

Controversies

During his tenure at Queers for Economic Justice, DeFilippis spearheaded the development and release of a document called Beyond Same-Sex Marriage: A New Strategic Vision For All Our Families and Relationships.[27] The document was organized by QEJ, drafted by DeFilippis and over a dozen leaders in the LGBT community, and signed by hundreds of other activists, including notable gay figures such as Armistead Maupin and Judith Butler, as well as such heterosexual liberal leaders Gloria Steinem, Cornel West, and Barbara Ehrenreich.[28][29] Beyond Same-Sex Marriage criticized the gay marriage movement as being too narrow and called for a broader definition of family, beyond conjugal relationships, to recognize the numerous configurations of family found in the U.S.[30]

It generated a lot of media coverage in both the gay press[31] and mainstream media,[32][33] including the New York Times[34] and Newsweek.[35] DeFilippis was one of the spokespeople of the document and appeared frequently in the news criticizing the strategies and leaders of the marriage equality movement.[36] Conservative writers who disagreed with the document's goals criticized DeFilippis and Beyond Marriage,[37] as did leaders of the marriage equality movement such as Evan Wolfson.[38]

DeFilippis has been involved in other controversies as well. In 2001, mere weeks after the 9/11 attacks, DeFilippis was one of the most vocal anti-war leaders in the LGBT community, putting him at odds with many other LGBT leaders.[25][39]

In 2006, DeFilippis was one of the authors of an Open Letter to the Advocate magazine, where prominent leaders in the LGBT community challenged the pitting of gay rights against immigration rights.[40]

Under DeFilippis' leadership, Queers for Economic Justice was also outspoken in criticizing other aspects of the gay rights movement. QEJ and DeFilippis regularly criticized the national gay rights organizations for failing to address poverty in the LGBT community.[11][23][24][36]

DeFilippis and QEJ also disagreed with the gay rights movement's emphasis on hate crimes legislation, arguing that the criminal justice system was racist and an inappropriate place to seek solutions to hate crimes.[41][42] For those reasons, in 2009, while still under DeFilippis' leadership, QEJ was one of five organizations to voice opposition to the New York State Gender Employment Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA).[43]

Personal life

DeFilippis had a long-term partner, playwright David Koteles.[2] He earned a Ph.D. in Social Work at Portland State University.[44]

DeFilippis has taught graduate-level courses in Political Economy, Welfare Policy, Community Organizing, and Social Justice at Hunter College School of Social Work and Fordham University and undergraduate sexuality courses at Portland State University.[44] He is currently a professor at Seattle University.

DeFilippis received the Union Square Award in 2004[45] and the Council on Social Work Education's Minority Fellowship in 2010.[46]

References

  1. ^ a b c Duberman, Martin (2009). Waiting to Land: A (Mostly) Political Memoir, 1985-2008. New York: The New Press. pp. 276–278, 289. ISBN 9781595584403.
  2. ^ a b Leland, John (December 21, 2000). "O.K., You're Gay. So? Where's My Grandchild?". New York Times. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
  3. ^ "News & Events". Vassar College. Archived from the original on 24 March 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
  4. ^ Katz, Celeste (October 3, 2000). "Seniors Find SAGE Haven: Aging gays tackle issues old & new". NY Daily News. New York. Retrieved 31 March 2012.[dead link‍]
  5. ^ Arimborgo, Daniel (March 16, 2000). "Queens gays, lesbians, get public access". Times Ledger. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  6. ^ McKenna, Sheila (October 25, 2000). "Queens Profile: Joseph DeFilippis". Newsday. Retrieved April 22, 2012.
  7. ^ Rowe, Claudia (February 4, 2001). "New Liaison to Gay Residents: From Rabble Rouser to Bureaucrat". New York Times. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  8. ^ DeFilippis, Joseph Nicholas (August 17, 2016). ""What About the Rest of Us?" An Overview of LGBT Poverty Issues and a Call to Action". Journal of Progressive Human Services. 27 (3): 143–174. doi:10.1080/10428232.2016.1198673. S2CID 152127225. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  9. ^ Rowe, Claudia (May 6, 2001). "Liaison To Gays Resigns". New York Times. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  10. ^ Khan, Surina (2005). Out for Change: Racial and Economic Justice Issues in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Communities (PDF). Funders for Lesbian and Gay Issues. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-07-18. Retrieved 2012-04-22.
  11. ^ a b Jones-Yelvington, Tim (April 2008). "A Half-Dozen Things That We Are: Collective Identity in Intersectional LGBT/Queer Social Movement Organizations" (PDF). Theory in Action. 1 (2). Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  12. ^ Aguirre, Abby (December 15, 2004). "Transgender Homeless Seek Safety". City Limits. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  13. ^ Michelson, Noah (7 October 2011). "Yvonne McNeal, Homeless Lesbian Woman, Shot And Killed By New York Police". Huffington Post. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  14. ^ Welfare Warriors Research Collaborative. "A Fabulous Attitude" (PDF). Queers for Economic Justice. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-06-08. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  15. ^ Billies, Michelle; Juliet Johnson; Kagendo Murungi; Rachel Pugh (August 2009). "Naming Our Reality: Low-income LGBT People Documenting Violence, Discrimination and Assertions of Justice". Feminism & Psychology. 19 (3): 375–380. doi:10.1177/0959353509105628. S2CID 144381820.
  16. ^ Arkles, Gabriel; Gehi and Redfield (2010). "The Role of Lawyers in Trans Liberation: Building a Transformative Movement for Social Change" (PDF). Seattle Journal for Social Justice. 8 (2): 620–622.[permanent dead link‍]
  17. ^ Price, J. Ricky (March 22, 2012). "Queer Alliances: Neoliberalism and Radical Aspirations" (PDF). WPSA Annual Meeting. pp. Panel 17.02: Queer Activists and Advocacy. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  18. ^ Chávez, Karma (2010). "Border (In)Securities: Normative and Differential Belonging in LGBTQ and Immigrant Rights Discourse". Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies. 7 (2): 136–155. doi:10.1080/14791421003763291. S2CID 145673819.
  19. ^ Redman, Laura (Summer 2010). "Outing the Invisible Poor: Why Economic Justice and Access to Health Care is an LGBT Issue". Georgetown Journal on Poverty Law and Policy.
  20. ^ Scholl, Diana (December 6, 2010). "For Transgender Homeless, Choice Of Shelter Can Prevent Violence". City Limits. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  21. ^ Polikoff, Nancy (2008). Beyond (Straight and Gay) Marriage: Valuing All Families Under the Law. Boston: Beacon Press. pp. 141–142. ISBN 9780807044322.
  22. ^ a b Blum, Richard; Joseph DeFilippis; Barbara Ann Perina (2000–2001). "Why Welfare Is A Queer Issue". Review of Law and Social Change. 26.
  23. ^ a b DeFilippis, Joseph (January 1, 2001). "Poor Understanding". City Limits. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  24. ^ a b Hollibaugh, Amber (June 19, 2001). "Queers Without Money They Are Everywhere. But We Refuse to See Them". The Village Voice. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  25. ^ a b Osborne, Duncan (2002). "Conversations and Action: Iraq war, next steps divide Creating Change participants". Gay City News. Vol. 1, no. 26. Archived from the original on 2012-12-03. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
  26. ^ "Faculty and Staff - Master of Social Work - College of Arts and Sciences - Seattle University". www.seattleu.edu. Archived from the original on 2019-08-09. Retrieved 2019-08-09.
  27. ^ Beyond Marriage Working Group. "Beyond Same-Sex Marriage: A New Strategic Vision For All Our Families and Relationships". Queers for Economic Justice. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
  28. ^ Jacobs, Ethan (August 3, 2006). "Activists Call For A Shift In Priorities". Bay Windows. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
  29. ^ "The Bay Area Reporter Online | 'Beyond Marriage' statement sparks dialogue". Bay Area Reporter. Retrieved 2017-04-20.
  30. ^ Buchanan, Wyatt (July 27, 2006). "Alternative to Same-Sex Union". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
  31. ^ Szymanski, Zak (August 3, 2006). "'Beyond Marriage' statement sparks dialogue" (PDF). Bay Area Reporter. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 July 2011. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
  32. ^ Kim, Richard (August 1, 2006). "The Wedding Crasher". The Nation magazine. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
  33. ^ "Gays expand battlefield". The Washington Times. August 8, 2006. Retrieved April 22, 2012.
  34. ^ Hartocollis, Anemona (July 30, 2006). "For Some Gays, a Right They Can Forsake". New York Times. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
  35. ^ Rosenberg, Debra (August 2006). "The Wedding March". Newsweek. Archived from the original on 29 February 2008. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
  36. ^ a b Dettmer, Lisa (2011-01-05). "Beyond Gay Marriage". Retrieved 1 April 2012.
  37. ^ Kurtz, Stanley (October 31, 2006). "The Confession". National Review. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
  38. ^ Eleveld, Kerry (August 7, 2006). "LGBT Group Looks 'Beyond Marriage' -- Is fight for marriage equality too narrow?" (PDF). New York Blade. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 11, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2012.
  39. ^ Krisberg, Kim (November 16, 2001). "Weighing War". New York Blade.
  40. ^ "We 55 Respectfully Disagree". The Advocate. April 11, 2006. Archived from the original on 2013-01-16. Retrieved April 23, 2012.
  41. ^ Nair, Yasmin (April 29, 2011). "Why Hate Crimes Legislation Is Still Not a Solution". The Bilerico Project. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
  42. ^ Mogul, Joey (2011). Queer (In)Justice: The Criminalization of LGBT People in the United States. Boston: Beacon Press. pp. 132, 154–155. ISBN 978-0-8070-5116-0.
  43. ^ "QEJ & Allies Announce Non-Support of Gender Non-Discrimination Act". Queers for Economic Justice. Archived from the original on 2012-02-20. Retrieved April 23, 2012.
  44. ^ a b "Profiles" (PDF). Portland State University. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
  45. ^ "Award Recipients". Union Square Awards. Archived from the original on 2013-04-16. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
  46. ^ "SAMHSA Mental Health and Substance Abuse Fellowship Program". Council on Social Work Education. Archived from the original on 2011-06-14. Retrieved 1 April 2012.