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Why have some readers interpreted The Wonderful Wizard of Oz as a feminist story?

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Illustration by W.W. Denslow showing Dorothy comforting the Cowardly Lion on a yellow brick road, with Toto, the Tin Woodsman, and the Scarecrow nearby in a forest. — The Wonderful Wizard of Oz An illustrated page by W.W. Denslow in L. Frank Baum's *The Wonderful Wizard of Oz*.

Some readers interpret The Wonderful Wizard of Oz as a feminist work due to its portrayal of strong female characters and a largely matriarchal society.1

The interpretation is often linked to the influence of L. Frank Baum’s mother-in-law, a noted advocate for women’s rights and suffrage, whose progressive causes Baum adopted. Consequently, Dorothy is frequently cited as one of the first feminist heroes in children’s literature because of her assertive and levelheaded nature. Furthermore, the narrative structure of the series reinforces this perspective, as the rightful ruler of Oz is eventually revealed to be a girl.1