Noor Tagouri, Vogue issue
Noor Tagouri posing for Vogue magazine Source: Instagram/noor

Misrepresentation and misidentification happen quite often, especially with today's fast paced media. But if two women wear the Islamic headscarf, it doesn't make it more acceptable to mix-up their names.

In its February issue, American Vogue magazine misidentified Muslim-American journalist and activist Noor Tagouri with Pakistani actress Noor Bukhari

In what would be Tagouri's first feature in the international fashion magazine, the news of the name-switch took her by surprise. Her husband decided to film her reaction as soon as she found the issue on display at JFK Airport. 

Squeaking with excitement as she shows her husband and the camera the full page she dominated in her all Givenchy outfit, she utters "that's so cool!"

Then came the shock. 

"I’m SO heartbroken and devastated. Like my heart actually hurts. I’ve been waiting to make this announcement for MONTHS. One of my DREAMS of being featured in American @VogueMagazine came true!!" she captioned the post.

A few seconds after the mini celebration, Tagouri noticed the mistake.

"My name is Noor Tagouri, I'm a journalist, activist, and speaker. I have been misrepresented and misidentified MULTIPLE times in media publications - to the point of putting my life in danger. I never, EVER expected this from a publication I respect SO much and have read since I was a child," she wrote in her caption.

"Misrepresentation and misidentification is a constant problem if you are Muslim in America. And as much as I work to fight this, there are moments like this where I feel defeated," she continued. 

According to BBC News, Vogue "sincerely" apologized to Tagouri in a statement. 

"We were thrilled at the chance to photograph Tagouri and shine a light on the important work she does, and to have misidentified her is a painful misstep," the magazine said.

"We also understand that there is a larger issue of misidentification in media - especially among nonwhite subjects. We will try to be more thoughtful and careful in our work going forward, and we apologize for any embarrassment this has caused Tagouri and Bukhari," the statement continued.

Tagouri has had her moments of fame before, becoming the first hijabi to be featured in Playboy in 2016 as well as the first veiled anchor on commercial US television.

The Libyan-American faced controversy when she appeared in Playboy, but took to her personal website to explain her decision. 

"A fully clothed 22-year-old Muslim American Libyan Woman took an iconic magazine and used it to spread a positive and much-needed message," she wrote, according to Broadly. 

"I did what so many women with inspiring messages of hope would have been uncomfortable doing because success for a woman is often predicated on what society deems appropriate for us to succeed in," she continued.