Headscarf-wearing Muslim woman poses for Playboy magazine

Being photographed for Playboy magazine means posing in a two-piece suit or, sometimes, naked.

But Noor Tagouri , a Muslim journalist, broke this stereotype and posed for the men’s magazine in its October issue “Renegades.”

Donned in a boyish leather jacket, jeans, a glittering headscarf and a pair of sneakers, Tagouri grinned before the camera and afterwards discussed the issues she faces as a first-generation Libyan-American.

“I know what it’s like to have the narrative of our community be skewed and exploited in the media. I was like, ‘Hey, I know what it’s like to be misrepresented in the media. I won’t do that to you. I want to tell your story because it’s important and deserves justice’,” she told Playboy. Also, she believes that wrapping a headscarf and practicing Islam helps her gain trust and empower fellow Muslim women to excel in their fields.

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Tagouri, 22, aspires to become the next hijab-wearing news anchor in the US. Currently, she works as a video reporter for Newsy, an American video news network. “I will have succeeded in effecting change when all girls realize they can do anything they want without having to sacrifice who they are as a person. I may dress a little different…but being a storyteller, motivational speaker, entrepreneur and unapologetically myself has opened so many doors for thousands of people,” she told the magazine.

Her open lifestyle and views on Muslim women drew criticisms online, but Tagouri brushed off these pessimistic comments and focused on crafting her dreams. “I don’t read or pay attention to any of it. It’s just negative energy and unhealthy. I make sure to keep a great circle of people around me who keep me grounded,” she said.

“Whether it’s at work or at home, the people who have my best interest at heart voice their concerns and their critiques, and I work on them,” she added.

Tagouri is the second Muslim woman to pose for the magazine. Back in April 2011, Sila Sahin, a Turkish-German actress, posed half-naked for Playboy but was nearly banished by her Muslim relatives.  Gianna Francesca Catolico/rga

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