Kiss of the Spider Woman problematizes the oppositional divides of politics and desire, masculinity and femininity, and heterosexuality and homosexuality. Valentin and Molina seduce each other, learn through dialogism, and reflect on their own shadows. Valentin ignored love and individual pleasure in the name of Marxist ideology and political responsibility for social change. However, he comes to accept the importance of private needs and feelings, and the imperative to examine his machismo. Molina conforms to male-dominant gender norms while he values femininity and criticizes effeminophobia. Valentin encourages Molina to raise his political consciousness about oppression and to develop self-respect. Valentin and Molina teach each other and make one another explore their contradictions. Telling tales about films functions as a means to communicate with each other and to bridge between reality and fantasy. Molina adopts and manipulates diverse film narratives to come into close relation with Valentin. Finally, in a reversal of roles, Valentin becomes the storyteller, and Molina becomes involved in political activism. In his Kiss of the Spider Woman, Puig seeks an integration of reason and heart, as well as sexual liberation and political progress, at the spot where the boundary of "I" and "You" is blurry.