Skin Shields: Bodily Modification as Political Resistance in the Trans Horror Films of the 2020s.

This article examines how three 2020s horror films—*Crimes of the Future*, *We're All Going to the World's Fair*, and *Titane*—use on-screen bodily modification as a metaphor to explore transgender (trans) experiences and the political power dynamics surrounding transness. Drawing on queer theory and Michel Foucault’s concept of the "political technology of the body," it analyzes how these films depict bodily transformation as acts of resistance against societal and governmental control. The article interprets characters’ bodily modifications or desires for modification as symbolic of trans identity, highlighting themes such as the restriction of trans healthcare for minors (*We're All Going to the World's Fair*), reclaiming bodily autonomy through art and evolution (*Crimes of the Future*), and the complexities of gender presentation and social acceptance (*Titane*). It argues that these films offer nuanced perspectives on transness that may shift viewers’ understanding of transgender experiences and the associated sociopolitical challenges.