Torches of Freedom
Term used to promote female smoking
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Why this is trending
Interest in “Torches of Freedom” spiked on Wikipedia on 2026-07-21.
Sudden spikes in Wikipedia readership generally point to a newsworthy event or emerging public conversation that piques widespread curiosity.
By monitoring millions of daily Wikipedia page views, GlyphSignal helps you spot cultural moments as they happen and understand the stories behind the numbers.
Key Takeaways
- " Torches of Freedom " was a phrase used to encourage women's smoking using the early twentieth century first-wave feminism in the United States.
- The term was first used by psychoanalyst A.
- Bernays hired women to march while smoking their "torches of freedom" in the Easter Sunday Parade of 31 March 1929, which was a significant moment for fighting social barriers for women smokers.
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Source summary
Wikipedia"Torches of Freedom" was a phrase used to encourage women's smoking using the early twentieth century first-wave feminism in the United States. Cigarettes were described as symbols of emancipation and equality with men. The term was first used by psychoanalyst A. A. Brill when describing the natural desire for women to smoke and was used by Edward Bernays to encourage women to smoke in public despite social taboos. Bernays hired women to march while smoking their "torches of freedom" in the Easter Sunday Parade of 31 March 1929, which was a significant moment for fighting social barriers for women smokers.
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