For the first time, the Playboy magazine is featuring a Muslim woman wearing a hijab. The move is drawing both praise and criticism. The magazine's October "Renegades" edition will feature American journalist Noor Tagouri in hijab. The series focuses on men and women "who risked it all even their lives to do what they love."

Tagouri, 22 works as a reporter for Newsy, a video news network. She is featured wearing a black leather jacket, sneakers, jeans and a hijab, or headscarf, in the publication that describes her as "a badass activist."

Tagouri, who is of Libyan descent and whose goal is to become the first "hijabi" anchor on commercial US television, said that, "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.'"

The magazine was once famous for bunnies and soft porn. An article in The Muslim Vibe, an online magazine, reads that, "Playboy is synonymous with pornography."

"It has been at the forefront of the objectification, sexualisation and commodification of women for decades and just because they've softened their image, it doesn't mean we can begin to engage with the platform and jump on board."

Blogger Nishaat Ismail also questioned in an opinion column the wisdom of Tagouri associating with an institution "based on the objectification of women."

"Are the voices of women -- and in particular Muslim women -- buried so deep under the cries of those who claim to speak on our behalf that our only available response is (to) involve ourselves with Playboy, a magazine that has solely existed for the past 63 years for men to gawp at the bodies of half-naked women?" he said.

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Nandini