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Best Transhumanism Horror and Sci-Fi Films to Watch for Transgender Day of Visibility

This article provides a streaming guide for best horror and sci-fi films to watch for Transgender Day of Visibility

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Happy Trans Day of Visibility! A day where we celebrate trans people and our contributions to society. It’s also a day where we recognize the struggles that trans people go through because of discrimination (feel free to buy me a coffee today). Instead of making a straightforward list of films by or featuring trans people (although you should watch Carnage for Christmas and The Estrogen Gospel), I wanted to delve into the concept of transhumanism.

The Best Horror And Sci-Fi Movies to Watch for Transgender Day of Visibility

What is Transhumanism?

Transhumanism focuses on changing human bodies through technology to achieve an advanced or new form of existence. As a trans person, the part of transhumanism that I find interesting is the autonomy to change your body outside of accepted norms. Whether that is top surgery to alleviate gender dysphoria, or turning your hand into a gun to usher in the era of the new flesh: I’m all for it. 

Videodrome (1983)

We can’t talk about transhumanism without mentioning Videodrome by the king of body horror, David Cronenberg. Max Ren is the CEO of a TV station, who discovers Videodrome, an illicit broadcast signal showing snuff. As Max watches the channel, he begins to see things, which may be hallucinations or visions of a higher plane of existence. As his mind changes, so does his body. The film sexualizes the abject and dives courageously into the grotesque. Videodrome is a story of transcending one’s body and human existence to become something new, the central idea of transhumanism. 

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Titane (2021)

Titane is a wild ride. It’s disturbing but not excessively violent and ultimately has a positive message. As a young child, Alexia is in a car accident and needs to have a titanium plate inserted in her head. The titanium in her brain changes her, and she gets along better with cars than with people. As an adult, she is a dancer at motor shows. She gets very intimate with these cars and becomes pregnant. Alexia seems to have disdain for people, which escalates to murder at the beginning of the film. To hide her identity after the murders, Alexia starts living as a boy. Whether or not the character is truly trans, the trans metaphor is very present in this film. As Alexia becomes more and more pregnant, it becomes harder to hide her body and pass as a boy. The body horror of the film comes from Alexia’s feelings of dysphoria as her body becomes more alien to her while the car baby develops inside of her.  

Tetsuo the Iron Man (1989)

Inspired directly by Videodrome, Tetsuo the Iron Man is another seminal work of transhumanism. A regular businessman hits another man with his car. The victim of the car accident is a metal fetishist, and is shown inserting pieces of scrap metal into his flesh for pleasure. After the accident, the businessman begins being tormented by mechanical body horror until his own body starts to change. The film’s audio is unique in that there is very little dialogue, and instead focuses on industrial music and percussion. Tetsuo the Iron Man also has elements of German Expressionism. In addition to being inspired by Videodrome, writer and director Shinya Tsukamoto was influenced by Blade Runner, which was inspired by the German Expressionist film Metropolis.  

The Matrix (1999)

At this point, we all know that the Wachowski sisters wrote The Matrix as a trans metaphor, making it a perfect watch for TDOV. This film is known for its characters who can bend the fabric of reality because they recognize that their perception of reality is what makes it real. The central transhumanism question of the film is: Who can you be if your expression of yourself comes only from your mind? If you’re not bound by physical constraints, you can be whatever you want, you first just have to realize that you’re in control.

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Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008)

While Repo! is not scary, it uses horror aesthetics, and has the added bonus of being a musical. It is truly a master class on trans-humanism. It takes place in a future where people can finance new organs and elective surgeries through the corporation, GeneCo. However, if people aren’t able to pay their debts, the repo man will come and take their organs back. I imagine what being trans would be like in a future like this. People are modifying their bodies for all sorts of reasons, with much less medical necessity than being trans. However, the prospect of being forcibly de-transitioned if you’re unable to pay your debts to GeneCo is a little too close to real life for comfort. In the current political climate in the US, trans people’s access to care is threatened, not only by capitalistic medical insurance practices but also by the far right, who do not understand trans people and are opposed to our medical needs.

I hope these movies inspire you to consider your own bodily autonomy, but even more than that, I hope you have fun watching!

Trans rights are human rights! Long live the new flesh! Happy TDOV!

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Sebastian Ortega is a Brooklyn-based artist and writer. They’ve always been interested in horror, from making their father read Goosebumps to them before bed to now having memorized Max Brook’s The Zombie Survival Guide. They’re especially interested in looking at the representation of gender and sexuality in horror films. When they aren’t planning for the zombie apocalypse you can find them experimenting with new recipes, hanging out in local artist communities, and forcing their friends to listen to the latest Clipping album, Saw trap style. And despite popular belief, they are not several rats in a trench coat.

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The Best Horror You Can Stream on Netflix in March

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Netflix did not give me a lot to work with this month. I may have also zoomed through many of my favorite things on the platform these last few months. So, many of these are titles I have been meaning to check out, and I hope they are worth the wait. However, I cannot promise the carnage, chaos, and confusion I normally provide for this column. This means you’ll have to forgive me for having less razzle dazzle and a little more uncertainty while I list some stuff off the less beaten path. Gather around, and I’ll tell you what I am trying to get into this March!

Archive (2020)

In 20238, George Almore’s newest AI prototype is nearly complete. However, this humanesque machine is also hiding one of George’s secrets that must remain hidden. While I love some British sci-fi and believe we should watch as many of the 2020 movies that slid under our quarantined radar, I’m pulling up for another reason. I want to see Theo James in something that isn’t The Monkey. Literally. I didn’t enjoy that movie, and I seem to be the last person I know who was unfamiliar with James before that. So, I’m trying to rectify that and see what he can do in anything else. Hopefully, after catching this on Netflix, I will have a new movie that comes to mind when he is mentioned. Fingers crossed, friends!

Green Room (2016)

A punk rock band gets trapped in a venue where skinheads want to kill them. So many people have told me this movie is worth my time, but because it’s always too soon for violent racists in this decade, I keep putting it off. However, I am so curious to see what Patrick Stewart, Imogen Poots, Alia Shawkat, and the late Anton Yelchin are doing in this movie. Green Room is also one of the few A24 horror movies that I have not seen, which makes it even more intriguing. While I doubt 2026 will calm down enough for this not feel too real, I think it’s time for me to be brave and cross this movie off my list already. So, I might have to grab a drink, a weighted blanket, and remote so I can open Netflix.

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M3GAN 2.0 (2025)

Two years after M3GAN’s murder spree, she is rebuilt by her creator to take down a military-grade weapon made from her stolen tech. Is this movie as good as the original written by Akela Cooper? Obviously not. No one can do what Cooper does and we shouldn’t hold people to that very high bar. Is this movie way too damn long? Also, yes. However, was there still a lot of fun to be had along the way? I thought so. While M3GAN 2.0 isn’t the sequel we wanted, I’m happy to rewatch it for free at home. We lose a lot of the threads I loved in the first one, but I’ll be damned if this isn’t the new Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgement Day anyway. In a perfect world, Akela Cooper will reopen the computer (after receiving a very large check from Blumhouse) and give us a third installment to bring our dancing diva back into the horror fold.

Life After Beth (2014)

A man discovers his dead girlfriend is back, and that might be for the worst. I never watched this horror comedy, but I’m sad and hoping Aubrey Plaza can change that. After all, if she can’t wake us up after a long winter, then who can? I also imagine Plaza as a zombie is kind of great. Along for the ride is Molly Shannon, so between the two of them, I expect some chuckles and guffaws. Maybe the powers that be at Netflix knew we could all use a laugh, and that’s why this is waiting for us on the other side of February. Or possibly they wanted to apologize for that last season of Stranger Things. Or maybe it’s just a wacky coincidence, and I’m looking for meaning where there is none. Either way, I have a date with this movie, and you might want to check it out too.

Teen Wolf (2011-2017)

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Getting bitten by a werewolf turns life upside down for a high school student and his best friend. Hear me out! I doubt there is a world where I will watch all six seasons of this. Hell, I doubt I’ll even finish the first season. However, I skipped this MTV moment when it originally aired. Which is why I didn’t know who Dylan O’Brien was when Send Help was announced. So, I’m using this Netflix account to see where he started now that I have seen him in something. You can join me in this or mark your time as safe and watch something else. I don’t blame you either way, and I hope you’ll respect my privacy during this adventure.

That’s what I’m doing with my Netflix account this month. Here is hoping April gives us more scary movies because some of us deserve it. Most importantly, I deserve it.

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The Best Horror You Can Stream on Shudder in March 2026

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Shudder is still that girl even in March. Our beloved streamer is adding classics like The Fog and Messiah of Evil. They are also adding a couple of films that are precious to my generation, like May. The app always has an eclectic lineup, but this month is an embarrassment of riches. At least if you are like me, and looking at a list of movies you have had on your watch list forever. That is why it took me a hot minute to figure out which five titles should be this month’s priority. However, I cracked the code and think I have something old, something new, and definitely at least a couple of things that will turn blue. Check out what I am trying to see on Shudder this month. Also, be sure to let me know if you are as geeked about these titles as I am.

The Best Movies to Stream on Shudder This Month

The Last Horror Film (1982)

A New York taxi driver stalks an actress during the Cannes Film Festival. I love 80s slashers and have been on a quest to watch them all. This one has eluded me for a couple of years, and I am so happy Shudder is finally letting me cross it off my list. I am not expecting this to break my top 1980s slashers. I’m not even counting on it to be one of the best movies about a stalked actress of that era. However, I’m excited to finally see it for myself with an adult beverage in hand.

You can watch The Last Horror Film on March 1st.

Fade to Black (1980)

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A film fanatic begins murdering people who betray him while stalking his idol. I finally caught this on Shudder in the last couple of years and will be using its return as an excuse to rewatch it. Very few movies cater to the slasher kids and film nerds as well as this one. Fade to Black is the kind of psychological horror comedy that is the reason 1980s horror remains unmatched. The costumes, the obsession, and the kills are the most fun you can possibly have on a Shudder Saturday. Do yourself a favor and hit play immediately. 

You can watch Fade to Black on March 9th.

Hostile Dimensions (2023)

Two filmmakers travel through alternate dimensions seeking out the truth about a missing graffiti artist. This found footage film has been on my list for years, and I am so grateful that Shudder is finally letting me see it. I have heard so many great things, and the FOMO was killing me. Hopefully, Hostile Dimensions lives up to the hype. Otherwise, I have to ask my nearest and dearest to explain themselves and then stop accepting recommendations from them. Will it scratch the found footage itch I have this month? There is only one way to find out, and that is why I will be sat the day this drops on the app.

You can watch Hostile Dimensions on March 9th.

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1000 Women in Horror (2025)

Women have been an integral part of the genre since Mary Shelley started thinking about Frankenstein. However, we do not always get the credit and respect we deserve. Which is why I am thrilled 1000 Women in Horror is celebrating the badasses who revolutionized horror films. Not only is the documentary opening the libraries for us, but it’s also bringing current faves along for the ride. Akela Cooper, Toby Poser, and Jenn Wexler are just some of the names I know who are about to inspire so many women to get serious about making their movies. I cannot stress enough how happy I am that Shudder is adding this to its lineup. 

You can watch 1000 Women in Horror on March 20th.

An American Werewolf in London (1981)

College friends backpacking through Britain are attacked by a werewolf. As a werewolf film enthusiast, I know they are not all made equally. That is one of the many reasons why this is easily one of the best werewolf movies the genre has. The transformation alone is worth the price of a Shudder subscription. So, it shouldn’t come as a shock that this is one of the five titles I’m most excited to see this month. Hell, it’s probably in everyone’s top five to be completely honest. I cannot think of a better way to close this month out than with a top-tier werewolf flick.

You can watch An American Werewolf in London on March 31st.

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I told you, Shudder is that girl. Whether you’re on spring break, taking a mental health day, or just dissociating, this app has got you covered. Make sure you dig into some of this sick, twisted, and cool cinema. As for me, I will see you next month with more recommendations.

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