Harvard University Appoints Drag Queen as Visiting Professor

Harvard University has reportedly selected a drag queen, known by the stage name LaWhore Vagistan, as a visiting professor for the upcoming semester.

Kareem Khubchandani, the individual behind LaWhore Vagistan, is scheduled to teach drag-related courses starting in 2026. This information was communicated to the Harvard community via a message in July, which came to light through a report by the New York Post.

In a 2015 interview with Johns Hopkins University Press, Khubchandani shared the story behind his unique alter-ego.

“My name is LaWhore Vagistan, and my preferred pronouns are ‘she’ or ‘aunty.’ I chose ‘LaWhore’ because my family hails from Pakistan—Lahore being a significant city there—and, well, I embody a bit of a w*ore. Vagistan symbolizes my view of the subcontinent as a grand, beautiful Vag … istan,” he explained.

Khubchandani will conduct his lectures while in drag. Both courses he teaches will fit within the “Women, Gender & Sexuality” curriculum.

For the spring semester of 2026, he is set to lead a class called “RuPaulitics: Drag, Race, and Desire.” This course draws inspiration from the popular reality show “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” where contestants, all drag queens, compete for the title of “America’s Next Drag Superstar.” The show debuted in 2009 and has since aired 17 seasons.

Harvard’s course description states it will “feature performance-based activities, attendance at local drag shows, and guest appearances from various artists to fully engage students with the politics of drag.”

Additionally, in the fall, Khubchandani will teach another course named “Queer Ethnography.”

“This class focuses on ethnographic studies of gender and sexual dissidents—looking at gay neighborhoods, trans events, sex work, lesbian gatherings, BDSM spaces, and AIDS activism—while re-evaluating aspects like anonymity, sensationalism, and identity,” the school described.

“The course will equip students in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies with ethnographic research skills relevant to exploring themes of bodies, pleasure, power, and desire,” Harvard remarked.

In addition to his teaching role, Khubchandani has written several books including “Decolonize Drag (Decolonize That!)”, “Lessons in Drag: A Queer Manual for Academics, Artists, and Aunties”, and “Ishtyle: Accenting Gay Indian Nightlife.”