“No one has the right to exploit anyone”
Kiss of the Spider Woman“No one has the right to exploit anyone” is a principle of equality articulated between Molina and Valentin. First raised in a discussion of household roles, it returns near their parting as Valentin’s request that Molina refuse mistreatment, shifting the idea from a general judgment about relationships to a promise between them.
Equality and Exploitation
In their first exchange, Molina tells Valentin that he does not have to compensate for anything through favors or excuses, or submit. Valentin counters that a husband must give orders to feel right, because that is the natural role of the man of the house. Molina rejects this hierarchy: “the man of the house and the woman of the house have to be equal with one another. If not, their relation becomes a form of exploitation.” When Valentin objects that equality leaves no kick to the relationship, the disagreement exposes the unequal arrangement as something defended not only as natural but as part of its appeal.
A Principle Made Personal
The idea returns in a more intimate form near the pair’s parting. Molina promises that he will remember Valentin with happiness, as Valentin taught him. Valentin then asks him to make others respect him and not allow anyone to treat him badly or exploit him, restating the principle in the words “no one has the right to exploit anyone.” He acknowledges that he is repeating himself because Molina disliked hearing it the previous time.
The Promise
Valentin makes the request more direct: “Molina, promise me you won’t let anybody push you around.” Molina answers, “I promise you.” The sequence turns the language of equality into an appeal specifically about Molina’s future treatment of himself. The principle does not remain confined to their earlier argument over who should command within a relationship; at the farewell, it becomes something Valentin asks Molina to carry with him. The recurrence links their debate about exploitation to an act of care: Valentin asks Molina to claim the respect that their earlier exchange had defined as incompatible with submission.
