The recent incident involving Luis Rubiales, suspended president of the RFEF accused of forcing an unauthorized kiss on Jenni Hermoso, has revived the importance of ethics and consent in interactions between men and women. This vitally important issue invites us to review past incidents that, at the time, were not judged with the same care.
Such is the case of the 2005 episode in which Julio Iglesias, one of the most recognized Spanish leading men in the world, shared a set with the well-known Argentine presenter Susana Giménez, with whom he starred in a moment very similar to Rubiales’ controversial kiss.
The incident, which took place on the popular Giménez program, focuses on a moment in which Julio Iglesias, upon entering the set, grabbed the presenter and planted a kiss on her without her explicit consent. “I knew this was going to happen,” Gimenez said, visibly embarrassed after the action.
But the event did not end there. Already sitting on the sofa on the set, Iglesias continued with his behavior, assuring that the kisses he gave him in private were “more beautiful” than the public ones. He tried to kiss her again, to which Giménez responded by covering his face with both hands: “No Julio, I ask you please, you are a married man.”
Despite Giménez’s visible discomfort, the episode was described as “fun” by Iglesias’ followers at the time. Comments on social networks celebrated him as “a crack” or “an old school heartthrob”.
The cases of Luis Rubiales and Julio Iglesias offer us a valuable opportunity to reflect on the importance of consent in public and private interactions. What might previously have been dismissed as a simple “show of affection” or “affection” in a less sensitive context is now more clearly identified as a violation of privacy and personal space.
We must remember that respect and consent are essential in any human interaction, regardless of the gender, fame or social position of those involved. The biggest lesson these cases teach us is that there are no exceptions to this rule. It doesn’t matter if your name is Julio Iglesias or Luis Rubiales; consent is not optional, it is a basic human right.
