A hijabi bunny?

How could a Muslim woman possibly use Playboy as a platform to launch her career?

Faiza Iqbal September 30, 2016
Muslims have it hard living in the West. Nowadays it is perfectly acceptable to sling all kinds of vitriolic, hate-filled misinformation towards Muslims that simply would never be thrown at adherents of other religions. So it is natural for Muslims, who fight hard against these stereotypes every day, to want to make a huge impact in trying to rid themselves of all the negativity that they become shrouded in.

Unfortunately, sometimes in the quest for shaking off the adverse image, no real progress is made. This comes as a hijab-laden Muslim lady, Noor Tagouri, appeared in Playboy magazine as a journalist aspiring to be ‘America’s first hijabi anchor’ on commercial television.

Playboy magazine is usually connoted with sexual frivolity, bunnies and Hugh Hefner’s promotion of unabashed hedonism. How could a Muslim woman possibly use Playboy as a platform to launch her career? Could this move be classed as absurd or highly ingenious? The news definitely raised eyebrows and spearheaded Noor’s intentions into the fast lane. It has also started a raging debate (which spilled over into Twitter) about Islamic morality and contemporary culture.

https://twitter.com/Lina_Serene/status/780035280908812288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw



Last year Playboy announced that it would no longer feature nude women in its publication because online pornography had rendered such a purpose rather pointless. Instead, the magazine would focus on articles about various topics like politics, history and even hijab-laden women. Noor’s presence in Playboy has been met with a mixture of reactions, ranging from abhorrence to acceptance. Many Muslims still find it difficult to disassociate themselves from Playboy’s image of being a magazine which shows images of naked women. A hijabi in Playboy just doesn’t bode well.

https://twitter.com/toobawarraich_/status/780212403103563776

https://twitter.com/KimiaRamezani/status/778983174466666496



Although Noor has an appealing goal, the platform she has used to reach that goal is questionable. But on the other hand, she may never have gotten the requisite attention she needed to accomplish her goal had she remained on the straight and narrow path.

It’s a murky world out there and the lines between morality and licentiousness are increasingly becoming blurred. Muslims have to be original in how they get their message out there albeit in a manner which minimises offence in their community.

It will be interesting to see how far Noor Tabouri goes in challenging stereotypes that people hold against Muslim women, but this stint definitely challenged a spectacular amount.  If anything, it definitely made me see Playboy in a different light.
WRITTEN BY:
Faiza Iqbal A law graduate from King's College, London Nottingham Law School. Having worked at Mandviwalla & Zafar as an Associate, she now writes freelance articles and is trying to qualify as a barrister in Canada.
The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necassarily reflect the views and policies of the Express Tribune.

COMMENTS (9)

MR.X | 7 years ago | Reply a really valid point you make, agreed..But lets not forget the good hijabis..the modest ones..
farhan | 7 years ago | Reply i agree
VIEW MORE COMMENTS
Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ