Social Work Wonder Woman

I like this idea on Nechakogal's blog asking readers to describe their social work environment via a cartoon-ish character parody.   Now, I can't really identify with the three options given in the poll:

1. Cinderella Social Worker- this is the worker who essentially is caught up in cleaning up after her wicked (and wealthy?) clients.  She pushes paper more than she actually engages the people she works with.  She's a slave to the grind and buried in her work.  Hopefully, a magical Prince will arrive and save her from her thankless tasks and buy her lots and lots of new shoes.


2. The Firefighter- this social worker is running around putting out fires all the live long day.  Ok, I can kinda relate to this one.  There certainly are some days where it feels like all I'm doing is deflecting one hit after another and getting close to nothing actually accomplished.  Everything is an urgent matter.


3. Papa Smurf-- This social worker is community-driven and approaches his or her work with idealistic compassion and seeks to unify rather than divide.  Papa is the social worker I think many of us *want* to emulate, but often get sidetracked because we're busy being firefighters and thinking about new shoes when we're buried in our paperwork.  (How's that for a nice tie-in?) :D

So, I participated in the poll but naturally, had to choose the "other" option.  When it comes down to it,  none of the above truly embody what it is I do or who I sometimes feel like in my practice.   I definitely can see a little of the firefighter tendency in me as a social worker, but it's not a consistent feeling.   The cartoon/fictional character I believe best embodies the social worker I am and the environment I exist within is.....



You got it.

I'm Wonder Woman.

I'm not trying to be cocky or silly, but after truly thinking about this (and consulting the google gods for a little Super Hero back-story research), I think Wonder Woman is a near perfect fit to describe my Social Work Persona and the general themes that develop in my work.   Per Wikipedia:

Wonder Woman is an Amazon (based on the Amazons of Greek mythology) and was created by Marston as a "distinctly feminist role model whose mission was to bring the Amazon ideals of love, peace, and sexual equality to a world torn by the hatred of men.'" Her powers include super-speed, super-stamina, super-agility. She is highly proficient in hand-to-hand combat and in the art of tactical warfare. She also possesses an animal-like cunning and a natural rapport with animals, which has in the past been presented as an actual ability to communicate with the animal kingdom. She uses her Lasso of Truth (which forces those bound by it to tell the truth), a pair of indestructible bracelets, and an invisible airplane.

Ok, so I am no Amazon woman and I don't wear corsets and thigh high red boots to work.  I also don't have one of those newfangled invisible airplanes, (however, my salary review is coming up) but, I dig the "feminist role model" and super-speed/super stamina powers.  Hell, I'm a damn speedy and efficient social worker!  I can get a lot accomplished and still be a client advocate.  Those traits definitely represent me on a lot of levels.  And I have this uncanny ability which warrants people (clients and non-clients)  to divulge their life secrets and on occasion, I hear some pretty heavy confessions.  It's as though I have a symbolic Lasso Of Truth force that emanates from me.  I kid you not.  Also, I have the ability to communicate with my cats.  We talk to each other all the time.

So there it is.  I am Wonder Woman, Social Worker.  Hear me roar!