Why is judy garland a gay icon

Why Judy Garland is still such a gay icon

Judy Garland has long been considered one of the world's most recognised and celebrated gay icons, something that has been reaffirmed this year by Renee Zelwegger's critically acclaimed shift as Garland in Judy.

But what is it about the singer and actress, once dubbed 'the Elvis of homosexuals', that makes her cultural legacy so enduring, particularly for members of the LGBTIQ+ community?

Garland's association with the LGBTIQ+ community can be traced back to an article published in Time magazine in 1967; a review of Garland's performance at the Palace Theatre. In the review, the critic noted that a "disproportionate part of her nightly claque seems to be homosexual" - adding that "[t]he boys in the tight trousers" would "roll their eyes, tear at their hair and practically levitate from their seats" as Garland performed.

Judy Garland continues to leave her mark on popular customs today. Source: Getty Images, NBC

This particular review was published at a occasion when the gay rights movement was reaching boiling point in the Combined States - only two years before Garland's death i

The legendary film, The Wizard of Oz (1939) and the glorious, dazzling ruby slippers worn by its heroine, Dorothy Gale, (played by Judy Garland), include long been symbols of hope – especially for the LGBT+ community.

Last year, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, DC, unveiled a pair of glittering red shoes from the movie that had been restored at a cost of $300,000 (funded via a Kickstarter campaign).

Why rebuild a pair of the original shoes at such an exorbitant price? And in a more fluid age of sexuality and gender, are the shoes still relevant as homosexual icons?

‘An Elvis for homosexuals’

It has been said that Judy Garland is “an Elvis for homosexuals”. During her lifetime she featured in over 30 films, but it was her role as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz that catapulted her to celebrity status.

Garland was a prominent Hollywood figure with whom gay people could easily identify. Her have personal struggles resonated more broadly with their have during the Cold War – a time of unparalleled persecution of male lover people in the west.

Moreover, Garland’s most performed song, Over the Rainbow, is believed to be one of the sources of inspiration for th

Free To The People

As a gay male of a certain age, it was clear to me that the year 2022 should not end without acknowledging the 100th anniversary of the birth of the legendary Judy Garland. Born Frances Ethel Gumm in 1922, this American singer, actress and personality is best known to the world as Dorothy in the classic MGM motion picture The Wizard of Oz. Garland also has a special status in the LGBTQ+ community. She is arguably the first diva to be held precious by American gay male culture.

For an older generation of gay men there are competing camps of Judy fandom. Some opt favor the younger “girl next door” Judy from her early career in MGM musicals. Some prefer the post film career “singing her heart out and ending in tragedy” Judy. Yet others prefer to venerate her in entirety, with the full story arc of her experience and career.

Newer generations of gay male culture acquire new icons like, Madonna, Beyonce and Dua, but Judy Garland stands as the first and most iconic.

Happy Birthday Judy!

Want to see an legend in action? Check out any of the numerous audio and video recordings of Judy Garland’s films, music and television performances available in the library catalog. The

The modern LGBT Rights movement arguably began 47 years ago—in part, some would say, as a response to the death of singular gay icon Judy Garland around the second of the Stonewall riots. This year, a very special celebration of this Pride milestone is taking place when Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright returns to Carnegie Hall June 16-17 to recreate his 2006 Carnegie shows, inspired by Judy Garland’s legendary April 23, 1961, performance at the venue, often referred to as “The Greatest Night in Show Business History.” For many fans, there is great synergy in this confluence of gay icon Garland’s classic program and Wainwright—a trailblazing artist who has been out of the closet from the beginning of his career in the 1990s.

How has the Judy Garland program changed for you now after ten years?
Rufus Wainwright: This second around, it’s centered more on me, what the songs mean to me now after ten years of fame here and there. This material is built to absorb all the kicks life has to give. Whether it’s childbirth or death or marriage or war or peace, these songs grow a prism for those big experiences. So I’m excited to sing them now with a petite more time un