Harvard’s Drag Queen Professor: LaWhore Vagistan Sparks Culture War Firestorm

In July 2025, Harvard University announced a bold addition to its faculty: Kareem Khubchandani, a 41-year-old Tufts professor and drag performer known as LaWhore Vagistan, would join as the 2025-2026 F.O. Matthiessen Visiting Associate Professor of Gender and Sexuality Studies. The hire, which hit the mainstream in early October, has unleashed a firestorm of reactions—celebrated by progressives as a win for queer representation, derided by conservatives as proof of Harvard’s “woke” decline. As the Ivy League titan grapples with scrutiny over its ideological bent, this appointment has become a lightning rod for debates about academia’s role in the culture wars. So, who is LaWhore Vagistan, what does this hire mean, and what kind of careers do these niche degrees actually prepare students for?

Meet LaWhore Vagistan: Scholar, Performer, Provocateur

Kareem Khubchandani isn’t your typical Harvard prof. With a PhD in Performance Studies from Northwestern and a decade-long drag career as LaWhore Vagistan—a self-described “judgmental South Asian aunty”—he blends nightclub flair with academic rigor. His drag name, a cheeky riff on his Pakistani roots (“Lahore” plus a nod to being “a bit of a whore”), is as much a cultural critique as a performance persona. Khubchandani’s scholarship, including books like Ishtyle: Accenting Gay Indian Nightlife and the forthcoming Lessons in Drag, explores queer identity, race, and diaspora through the lens of performance. At Harvard, he’ll teach two courses: “Queer Ethnography,” diving into subcultures like trans raves and sex work, and “RuPaulitics,” using RuPaul’s Drag Race to unpack race, desire, and politics.

The appointment fits the F.O. Matthiessen Professorship’s mission to spotlight queer scholarship, honoring the legacy of a gay Harvard scholar. But when news broke on October 1 via outlets like Fox News and the Daily Caller, it went viral for all the wrong reasons. Headlines screamed “Harvard Hires Drag Queen ‘LaWhore Vagistan’ to Teach Gender Studies,” with commentators like Tim Pool and X users mocking the university’s prestige. One X post quipped, “Harvard’s dragging its reputation through the mud,” while another sarcastically suggested LaWhore “upgrade” India’s RSS organization—a jab at the performer’s South Asian roots. Meanwhile, progressive voices, like PinkNews, hailed the hire as a triumph for queer South Asian visibility, calling critics “right-wing bigots” and praising Khubchandani’s ability to “bring the nightclub to the classroom.”

Harvard’s Tightrope: Prestige vs. Polarization

This isn’t Harvard’s first brush with controversy. The university is already under federal investigation for viewpoint diversity, and the 2023 Claudine Gay plagiarism scandal still stings. Add to that a 2023 Taylor Swift course taught by a trans professor, and you’ve got a pattern that critics see as prioritizing ideology over academic rigor. On X, posts spiked with terms like “Harvard woke” and “drag professor absurdity,” reflecting a broader sentiment that the Ivy League is out of touch. Conservative outlets like BizPac Review framed the hire as “Ivy League insanity,” arguing it alienates donors and fuels distrust in elite education.

Yet supporters argue Harvard is doing exactly what it should: amplifying marginalized voices. Khubchandani’s work challenges colonial norms in drag and queer studies, offering students a fresh lens on identity and power. The courses align with growing demand for trans-inclusive scholarship—especially as trans issues, from healthcare to legal rights, dominate policy debates. Still, the optics of hiring a drag queen named LaWhore Vagistan aren’t lost on anyone. As one social media user put it, “Harvard’s trolling us now, right?”

What’s the Point? Jobs for Transgender Studies Grads

Skeptics, including many X posters, aren’t just mad about the hire—they’re questioning the value of degrees tied to transgender or gender studies. “What kind of freaking jobs do these people get?” one might ask, echoing a common critique that such programs churn out unemployable grads. The reality? It’s not a golden ticket, but it’s not a dead end either.

Degrees in Gender and Sexuality Studies, like those offered at Harvard, Yale, or UC Berkeley, equip students with skills in critical analysis, cultural competency, and advocacy. Graduates learn to navigate complex social issues through coursework on queer theory, intersectionality, and ethnography—skills that translate to real-world roles. Here’s where they land:

• Nonprofits/Advocacy: Program coordinators at groups like Trans Lifeline or policy advocates at the ACLU use trans studies to push for equitable policies. Median salaries range from $45,000-$65,000.

• Academia: Scholars like Khubchandani teach or research at universities, though adjunct roles can pay as low as $40,000, while tenured positions hit $70,000-$120,000.

• Healthcare/Social Work: Trans health program managers or social workers apply cultural knowledge to improve care access, earning $50,000-$75,000.

• Public Policy: DEI consultants or legislative aides shape inclusive laws or corporate practices, with salaries of $60,000-$90,000.

• Media/Arts: Journalists at outlets like Out Magazine or drag performers like LaWhore herself draw on performance studies, with incomes varying widely ($40,000-$70,000 for journalists; unpredictable for artists).

The catch? Success depends on hustle—networking, internships, or pairing the degree with hard skills like grant writing or data analysis. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 7-10% growth for social work and community service roles through 2030, and DEI jobs surged 71% from 2020-2025, per LinkedIn. But critics aren’t wrong about challenges: nonprofit gigs are competitive, and corporate DEI roles face cuts as companies dial back “woke” initiatives in 2025’s tight economy.

A Separate Solution? The Case for a Trans Studies University

Harvard’s hire begs a question: why cram controversial fields like transgender studies into traditional universities, sparking endless debates? Why not create a dedicated university for queer and trans scholarship, free from Ivy League baggage? It’s a tempting idea—a hub for scholars like Khubchandani, fostering safe spaces and tailored career pipelines to advocacy or policy. But the hurdles are steep. Niche fields like Gender Studies draw tiny enrollment—only 0.1% of U.S. bachelor’s degrees in 2023, per NCES data—making standalone schools financially shaky. They’d compete with giants like Harvard, which already integrate trans studies into broader programs, and face political backlash in a climate where anti-DEI laws are spreading (e.g., Florida’s 2023 reforms). A trans studies university would be a cultural lightning rod, amplifying the X-fueled outrage over LaWhore’s hire.

Why It Matters

Harvard’s hire of LaWhore Vagistan isn’t just a quirky headline—it’s a microcosm of the battle over academia’s soul. Is the university pushing boundaries to uplift marginalized voices, or pandering to a progressive elite at the cost of credibility? The answer depends on who you ask. For students, the courses offer a chance to explore identity in ways that could shape policy, art, or advocacy. For critics, it’s another nail in the coffin of traditional education. As Harvard navigates this tightrope, one thing’s clear: LaWhore Vagistan has everyone talking.