Dorothy Wizard of Oz: Story, Judy Garland & Wicked Ties

There’s a reason people still debate Dorothy’s place in Oz mythology decades after the ruby slippers first lit up the screen. She started as an ordinary Kansas farm girl in L. Frank Baum’s 1900 novel, became Judy Garland’s signature role in the 1939 MGM film, and evolved into something unexpected: a symbol embraced by generations of LGBTQ+ fans. This guide traces that journey, separating documented history from the stories fans have built around it.

First Book Appearance: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) ·
Iconic Movie Portrayal: Judy Garland in 1939 MGM film ·
Signature Item: Ruby slippers ·
Author: L. Frank Baum ·
Dog Companion: Toto

Key biographical and cultural details for Dorothy Gale and her Judy Garland portrayal are summarized below.

Who is Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz?

Dorothy Gale is the protagonist of L. Frank Baum’s Oz book series, first appearing in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz published in 1900. Baum created her as a young orphan girl living on a Kansas farm with her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry. Unlike the ruby slippers of the famous 1939 film, Dorothy’s magical footwear in the original novel were made of silver—a detail that MGM changed to red for Technicolor impact.

As the protagonist, Dorothy serves as the reader’s entry point into the fantastical Land of Oz. She is characterized by her practicality, kindness, and courage despite her youth. The character traits Baum established would become foundational to how audiences understand her: an ordinary girl thrust into extraordinary circumstances who relies on her wits and compassion rather than magical powers.

Origins in L. Frank Baum’s novels

Baum’s Dorothy is notably different from her cinematic counterpart. In the books, she returns to Oz multiple times across fourteen novels, developing deeper relationships with characters like Ozma, the magical ruler of the land. Scholars have noted sapphic undertones in Baum’s writing, including the Ozma-Dorothy relationship, which some modern interpretations build upon. The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh notes that queerness in Oz traces to L. Frank Baum’s original books with elements that contemporary readers have identified as progressive for their era.

Character traits and role as protagonist

Dorothy functions as both a passive observer and active participant in her story. She asks questions, forms friendships, and makes decisions that drive the plot forward. Her role as protagonist meant that generations of readers saw themselves through her eyes—young, hopeful, and capable of greatness despite humble beginnings.

What happened to Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz?

The story most people know follows Dorothy Gale, a Kansas farm girl swept to the magical Land of Oz by a tornado. According to the narrative, she arrives at a strange world of colorful landscapes and talking creatures, with her small dog Toto the only connection to home.

Tornado journey to Oz

The tornado that transports Dorothy and Toto to Oz is the inciting incident that launches the adventure. This event separates Dorothy from everything familiar—the gray Kansas prairie becomes the vibrant colors of Munchkinland. The transition from black-and-white (in the film’s opening) to Technicolor became one of cinema’s most iconic visual metaphors, representing escape from hardship into wonder.

Adventures with Scarecrow, Tin Man, Lion

On her yellow brick road journey to the Emerald City, Dorothy befriends three companions, each lacking something they believe they need: the Scarecrow wants a brain, the Tin Woodman desires a heart, and the Cowardly Lion seeks courage. These characters became cultural shorthand for universal human desires. Notably, at a crossroads early in the story, the Scarecrow offers a line that scholars have read as queer-coded: “Of course, some people go both ways,” a phrase that has resonated with LGBTQ+ audiences for decades.

Ruby slippers and return home

After the Wizard’s reveal as an ordinary man rather than a magical ruler, Dorothy learns she can return home by clicking the heels of herruby slippers three times—a magical command revealed by Glinda, the Good Witch of the South. This ending, where Dorothy chooses to leave Oz despite its wonders, emphasizes her connection to Kansas and the people she loves. The ruby slippers themselves became one of cinema’s most recognizable objects, reproduced endlessly in costumes and merchandise.

Why is Dorothy not shown in Wicked?

The musical and film Wicked tells the story of Elphaba and Glinda before Dorothy’s arrival in Oz. This prequel structure means Dorothy appears only as a distant reference—a child mentioned in the distance, never seen on screen. Fans have long wondered why the adaptation avoids the character so deliberately.

Rights and canon differences

The primary reason Dorothy doesn’t appear stems from licensing restrictions tied to the Baum estate. While Gregory Maguire’s novel Wicked and the musical it inspired exist in a separate creative space from the 1939 film, the estate controls Oz-related character usage. The Wicked creators chose to build their narrative around the time before Dorothy’s story rather than alongside it, avoiding legal complications and allowing focus on their central characters.

Focus on prequel timeline

Structurally, Wicked depends on Dorothy’s absence. The green-skinned Elphaba becomes the “Wicked Witch of the West” only in Dorothy’s story—a role that Wicked reframes as villainous propaganda spread by the Wizard’s regime. Had Dorothy appeared, the audience would struggle to see Elphaba as anything other than a villain awaiting her fate.

Face and portrayal issues in adaptations

The 2024 film with Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba highlights the tangible romance between the two leads, building on queerness from Baum’s original books. Rather than introducing Dorothy—whose casting would invite inevitable comparisons to Garland—the production maintains focus on the sapphic relationship that has made Wicked resonate with modern audiences. The implication: Dorothy’s story continues to influence Oz narratives even when she’s not present.

How much was Judy Garland paid for Dorothy?

Reports indicate that Judy Garland was paid less than some supporting actors in The Wizard of Oz despite carrying the film. At seventeen years old during production, Garland was one of MGM’s youngest contract players and lacked the negotiating leverage of established stars.

Salary compared to cast

Historical accounts suggest that Garland earned a standard MGM contract salary rather than a prominent lead’s rate. The Munchkin actors, some of whom were experienced vaudeville performers, reportedly commanded comparable fees. This disparity reflected Hollywood’s treatment of young performers at the time—valuable as rising talent but not yet powerful enough to demand top billing compensation.

Behind-the-scenes production context

Behind the magic of Oz, production was grueling. According to reporting from the Irish Times, Garland confided in co-star Margaret Hamilton (the Wicked Witch) that she couldn’t sleep or wake without studio-issued pills during eighteen-hour shoot days. She was reportedly starved and drugged on set, and faced harassment from adult Munchkin actors. These conditions exemplify the exploitation young performers faced under studio contracts of the era.

Why is the Wizard of Oz linked to LGBTQ culture?

The connection between The Wizard of Oz and LGBTQ+ communities is layered, spanning decades of cultural adoption, code language, and personal meaning-making. It represents one of the most enduring relationships between a cultural property and a marginalized community.

Judy Garland as gay icon

Judy Garland’s status as a gay icon began solidifying during her career and intensified after her death. Richard Dyer’s influential 2004 essay “Judy Garland and Gay Men” identified androgyny, camp performance, and ordinariness as key reasons for gay identification with her persona. Garland herself had many gay friends and associates, including directors Vincente Minnelli and George Cukor, and comedian Joey Adams.

The filmmaker John Waters joked that “openly gay” sounds like running into parties screaming for Judy Garland records. The Irish Times documented how Mart Crowley’s 1968 play The Boys in the Band referenced Garland imitations, establishing her as cultural shorthand within gay communities during a period when being openly gay was criminalized.

“Friend of Dorothy” term origin

“Friend of Dorothy” originated as a discreet code term for gay men, attributed to the 1939 film. The phrase appears to have emerged during WWII, relating to the Cowardly Lion, Dorothy, and her rainbow-colored group of misfit companions. The term functioned as a coded question and answer in social situations where direct inquiry about sexuality could be dangerous.

This code became shorthand for queer identification, documented in various historical accounts of LGBTQ+ community formation. The 2022 series A League of Their Own referenced the “friend of Dorothy” connection, demonstrating how the term has entered mainstream recognition while retaining its community-specific meaning.

Themes of outsider acceptance

The narrative of outsiders finding belonging in Oz resonates deeply with LGBTQ+ audiences. Dorothy’s journey from the gray Kansas prairie to the colorful Land of Oz functions as an escape narrative for characters who don’t fit heteronormative expectations. The message—that different is not wrong, and that found family provides belonging—has made the story meaningful across generations.

Garland’s funeral on June 27, 1969, in New York City occurred with significant gay community presence. The following day, June 28, 1969, the Stonewall Uprising began. While historians debate whether this timing is coincidental or symbolic, the connection has become legend within LGBTQ+ history. Scholars note that the legend is more powerful than the confirmed facts, demonstrating how communities construct meaning from shared cultural touchstones.

What people are saying

“Of course, some people go both ways.”

— Scarecrow, The Wizard of Oz (a line scholars cite as queer-coded)

“Openly gay,” jokes the great John Waters, “sounds like you’re running into parties screaming, ‘Got any Judy Garland records?'”

— John Waters, filmmaker (via Irish Times)

“What’s more boring than a queen doing a Judy Garland imitation?”

— Mart Crowley, playwright (The Boys in the Band, 1968)

Richard Dyer’s 2004 essay identified specific reasons for Garland’s gay male appeal: androgyny that resisted easy categorization, camp performance style, and an ordinariness that made identification possible. These academic frameworks explain what casual observations about “gay Judy fans” could not—the relationship is structural, not sentimental.

Related reading: Buffy the Vampire Slayer · X-Men Days of Future Past

Judy Garland’s timeless portrayal of Dorothy Gale propelled the 1939 film into a cornerstone of queer culture through its LGBTQ legacy.

Frequently asked questions

For audiences encountering Dorothy today, the choice is no longer between books and the 1939 film alone. Wicked offers Elphaba and Glinda’s sapphic romance; Baum’s later Oz novels provide Ozma-Dorothy dynamics; The Wiz offers a Black reimagining. Dorothy remains the reference point—present or absent—that defines how all Oz stories position themselves.