This week I was given a new assignment at my social work internship. I need to see if I can find a way around (or through) the standard procedures at a large government bureaucracy in order to give our client a fighting chance at not becoming homeless upon his release from incarceration.

The first thing I did as part of this assignment was locate this picture, which I’m going to print out and hang up in my office:

That is a picture of Tyne Daly, as character Maxine Gray, in the show Judging Amy which aired from 1999 to 2005 and remains my favorite TV drama ever.

Pushing for exceptions to “rules” is not my forte. I frequently question rules and may find them utterly stupid, but I tend not to fight them. This is something I would like to get better at, because my ability to just go along with the rules has been largely a matter of privilege. I’ve never been in situations where I had to break rules in order to eat, or keep my family intact, or stay in my house, or get a job, or any of the hundreds of other things that make it harder for formerly incarcerated people get back on their feet.

Maxine Gray was social worker who never took any shit. She fought for her clients and made it a point to raise questions about ridiculous and sometimes cruel policies and procedures that keep struggling people struggling. I want to channel her energy, especially when making sensible exceptions to rules can make a huge difference for someone.

I’m not saying there is no place for procedures and policies. Obviously we have to have ways of organizing ourselves and the systems that make up our society. But I’ve seen a lot of organizations develop a procedure to solve one problem one day and then hold on to that approach like it was God’s direct instruction, long after it has outlasted its usefulness or anyone can even remember its original purpose. Sometimes, though, policies are developed with much darker intentions. It’s important to consider both ends of that spectrum. It’s important not to be an asshole. It’s most important not to let oppressive baloney go unchallenged.

There are lots of real people who have done this and do this today that could be my inspiration. I haven’t really had the chance to watch them do their thing, because it would be creepy and probably counter-productive to follow them around while they did it. But I got to watch Maxine Gray do it, with great flair, for six years and not all heroes have to be real. I mean, look at that picture – her face looks gentle and kind, her hair suggests a bit of wisdom and experience, AND her eyes say “Do not f&$% with me.” (It was a network show, they couldn’t say “fuck”.) That’s exactly what I aspire to.

Do you have any TV heroes? Is there a character who inspires you? Or one you wish worked in your office?