Harvard University Appoints Drag Performer Kareem Khubchandani aka ‘LaWhore Vagistani’ as Visiting Professor to Teach ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ and Queer Studies in Gender and Sexuality Program
Harvard University has appointed drag performer Kareem Khubchandani, aka LaWhore Vagistani, as a visiting professor. He will teach “RuPaulitics: Drag, Race, and Desire” in the spring, exploring RuPaul’s Drag Race and queer studies through performance, pedagogy, and cultural analysis.
New York, October 2: Harvard University has announced the appointment of drag performer and academic Kareem Khubchandani as a visiting professor for its Studies of Gender and Sexuality program. Khubchandani, who performs under the stage name “LaWhore Vagistani,” will teach two courses over two semesters, including the spring class “RuPaulitics: Drag, Race, and Desire,” which will focus on the hit cable TV show RuPaul’s Drag Race.
The Ivy League institution welcomed Khubchandani in July, highlighting his appointment as part of an initiative supported by the Harvard Gender and Sexuality Caucus, reported New York Post. Known for integrating his drag persona into his pedagogy, Khubchandani has spent over a decade developing “LaWhore Vagistani” as both an artistic and academic project. His performances often include lectures and music videos, such as “Sari,” blending performance art with scholarly analysis. Sex Recession in US, Weekly Sexual Activity Among Adults Drops From 55% in 1990 to 37% in 2024: Study.
In a 2015 interview published by Johns Hopkins University Press, Khubchandani explained the origin of his provocative stage name. “My name is LaWhore Vagistan, my preferred pronouns are ‘she’ or ‘aunty,’” he said. “‘LaWhore’ reflects my Pakistani heritage — Lahore is an important city in Pakistan — and a cheeky nod to being a bit of a w*ore. ‘Vagistan’ represents my view of the subcontinent as one large, beautiful Vag…istan.” US Horror: Teacher Has Sex With Teen Student, Gives Him Drugs in Georgia’s Morgan County; Accused Arrested.
Khubchandani, an associate professor at Tufts University in Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies, has authored several books, including Decolonizer Drag and Ishstyle: Accenting Gay Indian Nightlife. He is set to release his newest work this fall, Lessons in Drag: A Queer Manual for Academics, Artists, and Aunties.
His Harvard courses aim to explore queer ethnography, identity, and the cultural significance of drag performance. News of Khubchandani’s hiring comes shortly after former President Trump released USD 2.4 billion in federal grants to Harvard, part of a broader plan to expand the university’s trade schools initiative. Harvard has not commented publicly on Khubchandani’s appointment.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 02, 2025 03:49 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).