The Abbot is just as susceptible to fleshly desires as his charge. His hollow justifications simply underline the fact that the clergy are just as sinful—if not more!—than normal people, despite their ready willingness to call out and punish the sins of others. This is made even more apparent when he has sex with the girl, since he takes the bottom position; to a medieval audience, a man taking a subordinate/female position in sex suggests homosexuality. Throughout the tale, the Country Girl’s needs and desires aren’t really investigated, and her ready acceptance of the Abbot’s advances just after having sex with the Young Monk demonstrates medieval misogynistic beliefs about the excessive lustfulness of women.