What's In A Name?

With the founder of Bikram yoga facing assault allegations, it seems simple: Studios should distance themselves from his name. But it’s not so easy.

- Kate Fagan

Bikram Choudhury is a 74-year-old native of India who once made millions of dollars a year teaching Bikram, his sequence of 26 poses, performed in front of a mirror, in a room heated to 105 degrees. If you’ve never heard of him, the most concise description of Choudhury is this: He’s the yoga version of Harvey Weinstein.

Both men built empires (Bikram has hundreds of eponymous yoga studios worldwide). Both were career makers (Bikram could approve, or veto, a teaching license or studio application). Both created corporate frameworks that allowed them to prey on women (Bikram hosts monthslong “teacher trainings” that draw hundreds of devotees). And both have been accused of a range of sexual misconduct, including rape (Bikram has settled about half a dozen lawsuits, and a list of women have come forward with allegations against him).