There’s something undeniably electric about being the only naked one in the room. It’s not just about nudity—it’s about contrast, vulnerability, power, curiosity… and sometimes, arousal. An article we found on deviantart.com (slightly edited for readability) dives deep into CMNM—Clothed Male / Naked Male. It’s a fascinating dynamic where layers of clothing reveal much more than they hide. Whether playful, accidental, fetishistic, or rooted in long-standing male rituals, CMNM sheds light on the way men connect, challenge, and charge the air between them.

Being naked in front of other clothed guys… what exactly is CMNM?

CMNM is an acronym for Clothed Male / Naked Male. It is a mild to extreme form of erotic stimulation that a male gets from being the naked one in front of other clothed men; or when a clothed male gets aroused by being in front of a naked man or several nude ones. There are several major strands of the CMNM scenes.

BDSM/bondage and discipline scenes:

Where guys are forced to strip and perform sexual acts for the pleasure of others, who are mostly clothed men. In any case, there is an element of domination and control or submission and coercion – with or without any “pain.” Often NM admit to wanting to be humiliated.

Exhibitionist/Voyeur scenes:

This may be a proper event such as a triathlon – where runners strip naked while changing for another event, or public streaking, or a street festival or another event where public nudity is displayed.

​Genre of CMNM:

These are categorized fetishes for specific types of situations. Clothing and the lack of clothes — such as with medical fetishes, nudity in military situations, male striptease performers, erotic massages, and other realms make up this fetish. When the situation or specific object itself assumes an importance in a sexual gratification realm, we can call it a CMNM fetish or genre of CMNM. For example, some guys crave being examined naked by a clothed doctor, or they start utilizing male sensual masseurs because of the erotic stimulation of being massaged by a clothed male while naked.

Innocent or accidental buddy CMNM:

These are situations where men are unintentionally or accidentally nude – or perhaps sometimes acceptably naked – in front of other clothed men. These can include situations like camping, sports teams, a gym locker room, communal showers, and more.

Obviously, a person can have strong feelings and desires for more than one type of CMNM and the boundaries do overlap or blur. The latter one (Genre of CMNM) especially is not strictly defined, but it is often recognized as the “only” type of CMNM scenes by the general population.

Nudity with clothes plays a huge role in most of the human activities in which men engage  – and most of which are NOT related to sex behavior. The role of nudity and being naked is a significant element of most all-male groups and male relationships – regardless of whether they are gay or straight or curious.

Not everyone who is interested in or turned on by the CMNM scene is gay, bi, or curious. CMNM is not relegated to being a homosexual form of behavior.  Actually, there are plenty of straight guys, who consciously or even subconsciously get some satisfaction from being naked or clothed with other naked men. Maybe they are just horny or starved for affection.

​There are also women who are turned on or intrigued by the reality of a man being naked in front of clothed men and/or clothed women (or the reverse). Whether this nakedness is natural, socially acceptable, expected, forced on them, or totally exhibitionist, it generally involves either sexual arousal for the naked guy or the clothed guy(s) watching, or for both. Such is the magic of this complicated scene – CMNM.

It’s really a sexual preference lifestyle issue, but some would call it a sexual fetish or perversion. Yet in many ways, male nudity permeates almost all aspects of male-to-male relationships, and influences both the nature of masculinity and what it means to be a man. Men use nudity and exposure of body parts or genitals to communicate affection, friendship, camaraderie, power/control, and even disdain or disgust.

Being aware of CMNM scenes and being turned on by them is subconscious for most males. We’re just a select few who have recognized it as a separate way of psycho-sexual interaction and, for some personal or social stimulation.

Once you think more deeply about it, you’ll be able recognize and see its effects in buddy-to-buddy friendships, sports and athletic camaraderie, male-bonding and growing up, rites of passages for young males, social events, public and private clubs and social organizations, schooling, and especially in the past – even the constant girl-chasing pack mentality of romance, male lust (and sex) and the antics and rituals associated with those. With more recent acceptance of gays in society, it’s meant that “guy-chasing” and the behaviors around that once secretive activity are becoming more known. So CMNM (like CFNM – “Clothed Female / Naked Male”) is becoming a recognized category of human sexual activity.

So—have you ever been the only naked guy among clothed ones? Or maybe the opposite? We’d love to hear your thoughts, experiences, or curiosities in the comments below. As always: let’s keep it open, honest, and bare.