Ethel Gumm
Generational trauma has had a profound impact, and Judy Garland’s mother, Ethel Gumm, is a clear example of this. Judy was born in 1922, and by the time she was just two years old, Ethel began pushing her into the world of entertainment. Ethel took her daughter to various Vaudeville venues, nightclubs, and speakeasies, driven by the pursuit of fame and fortune she had missed out on.
Sadly, Ethel’s parenting was far from nurturing. She resorted to threats of violence if Judy didn’t perform well, put her on diet pills at the tender age of 10, administered sleeping pills, and controlled her finances. Garland later referred to her mother as “the real Wicked Witch of the West,” highlighting the negative impact Ethel had on her life and well-being.
