Recruiting Marines 1941 - a memorable CMNM photo

 

Here is an  oddly erotic 'real' CMNM scene - the pic and situation are described the poster and commented upon by atitlan, founder of the Yahoo / Google groups:  YMNA, ymna2

So glad the Painted Ons of Yesteryear were well received. Went over to Shorpy's to play again yesterday afternoon, but didn't find much in the way of nude males, aside from this one in the World War ll album. Only one, but what a gem. I love the expression on the young guy making the "eye

contact".And some of the comments are hilarious. One guy says "Trust the marines to make you strip naked to take an eye exam!"



 I used to belong to a group that specialized in vinatge "gay" pics - not specifically beefcake, but gay images from everyday life, including swimming, army and even drag themes. Real vintage stuff, way before the fifties. Not sure how I lost track of that one. Does anyone know if there's still a yahoogroup around like that.

 Atitlan, did you have to sign up at www.zavarot.com to be able to view the pics you post at ymna@? Sometimes the nude photos don't seem to be available to casual visitors. I don't understand Russian, but I gather there's some sort of membership category. Is it easy to sign up?

REPLY: It's a splendid picture, isn't it? I've  seen it a few times before but never in such a large size and high resolution. It's curious that the military examiners did require the recruits to strip naked  and stay that way - usually they allowed  them to keep on their shorts. I wonder  if the crossed legs of the guy who's
staring might be his unconscious way of  saying "I can't compare"?!

I also wonder if you're referring to the Gay Historical Photos group that got  deleted several times by Yahoo before  finding its home on Google? If so, it's the one I mention quite often:
http://groups.google.com/group/historical-pictoral

I couldn't sign up to zavarot even if I  wanted to - my lack of Russian wouldn't
enable me to. It seems that the pics with a sexual theme are available only
to members. However it also seems that  zavarot have decided that nudist pics
are not sexual in nature and can be viewed by anyone.
http://www.zavorot.com/today?page=1

atitlan

 

---------- The above post was forwarded in a group message ----------
From: Charles Date: Mon, Oct 26, 2009 at 2:39 AM
on the Yahoo Group [ymna2] 

The essence of CMNM in its 'purest' form

A discussion thread concerning this topic was actually describing what, in a large part, CMNM is.

CMNM is a not only about men liking men: It's a male bonding ritual

       
Loving to be with guys who are naked (or being naked with guys who aren't).... that's the core of what CMNM (clothed male / naked male) situations are all about.

Some of us are really in to it.. and seek out such situations whenever possible - of course, it's a gay thing for many of us.

By the way, it is NOT ONLY about homosexual attraction. I could go on and on... but men need (and enjoy) using nudity between themselves and in groups of men (like sports teams, fraternity, army/military, clics and groups of buddies, while in temporary all male situations, such as camping, scouting, etc) and have done it since the beginning of societies... (I'm not talking physical desire or lust between men) to express friendship, belonging to a group, male affection and camaraderie, and dependence/interdependence, control/authority, loyal, leadership, bravura/machismo, and platonic or brotherly love.

I think almost every guy has some times (or even a lot) when he wants to see them naked or be seen naked by his buddies. It's part of identifying with being a man. We've had this discussion in bits and pieces many times on this forum before.  When you absolutely 'need' to be naked or be the clothed guy around naked ones (for various reasons - different for every person) then you are said to be into CMNM or have it as a fetish (if you need it to get off).

I've gone forward or evolved in exploring CMNM in myself, and also socially. I have set up many online CMNM groups, and have been trying to organize off-line real CMNM events, meet-ups, parties, etc.

Of course, CMNM scenes can involve much more (specialized costuming or fetish roles (such as doctor/patients), or elements of BDSM or spanking and hazing or embarrassment), but in essence, it's not ONLY about sex (except for the extreme fetishist - not to be judgmental or complaining). CMNM can also be about the joy and sense of acceptance that a guy gets from being so open and free with his buddies that they can hang out naked - without sexual tension or excitement (at least for some of the time).

I'm a fan of CMNM scenes - especially in these milder, more social and interpersonal aspects of it. I'm also an organizer and enthusiast. I write a blog called Guys Into CMNM (guysn2cmnm.blogspot.com)

I manage several CMNM social networking groups (with a total of about 3000 members), and also organize real (off-line) events, parties, and meet-ups for the purpose of getting CMNM enthusiasts together. There's even one and some related groups on Facebook (although the last two CMNM groups on FB were mysteriously deleted. Duh!?) But we've recently started a Facebook group called CMNM Dudes (it's private but you should be able to find it and join). If not, send me an email or contact me on Facebook.

We are currently trying to organize a weekend of CMNM events in Honolulu and the Big Island (Hawaii) over Xmas.

I think you guys would be interested and are certainly welcome to participate online or otherwise.....

Commentary by the author:

It could be a welcome (and possible more wholesome and healthy) alternative to the gay bar lifestyle (including PNP). The overuse of alcohol and use of narcotic drugs and other stimulants is a culture that really doesn't need to exist - except for a minority that is downtrodden. Are we as a social (gay) men and sexual (cmnm enthusiasts) beyond that now?
Many societies have recognized how oppression has extends the negative effects of prejudice and discrimination far beyond feelings of hatred and self-repression but actually affects how people behave within their own sub-groups, and how they treat each other. Racial minorities are coming out of that syndrome to a large extend in the 21st century (finally) .. when will the gay minority start doing the same. (At least those over a certain age.. myself included).

Sorry .. I got a little off topic,..but - in reality, it is deeply related.
Men have been afraid to show physical affection even - much less get naked together - for the very reason that it was too 'queer' to do so. Even gay men who are out and confident in their own sexuality are still ill-at-ease with other men - in this respect. So my own CMNM crusading has more than just 'trying to see a naked butt' as its motivation.

Kelly, editor of Guys Into CMNM (blog) and admin for its social networking sites

Clothing that invites CMNM situations

 Some types of clothing and certain social situations seem to invite CMNM

(clothed male / naked male) and probably just as often CFNM (clothed female / naked male) behavior. It's not too surprising that one of those types of clothing is the kilt. Still, there are several other kinds of male attire that sometimes offer the opportunity for spontaneous partially nudity, at time under the guise of freeballing, such include boardshorts, ethnic or traditional clothing (the 'kilt' is a Western invention for covering male anatomy), but there are other forms of masculine clothes from Asian, the Middle East, Africa, and Oceania that perform similar functions and which offer similar glimpses.
Here are some recent photos from social events where guys were wearing kilts. 
 
It always seems that whenever some guy is wearing a kilt -- whether formal or informal, he seems to get a lot of attention directed toward what's under the kilt. By the way, it appears that his male buddies are just as fascinated by what he's wearing and what he's not as his women friends are.

Cross-cultural Perspective on Freeballing

 
I wonder how many other national costumes or traditional clothes allow for freeballing? I've spent a lot of time in Japan and a few other countries where the national costume -- kimono or yukata (light summer informal kimono with fundoshi (loin cloth)) (at least it remains one of the traditional ways that some people dress --especialy for festivals or typical Japanese cultural events) does make freeballing sort of accepted. As I said in an earlier post (Scottish singer in a kilt), I wonder how many national / native or traditional costumes make it easy (or not) to freeball and perhaps to catch a glimpse. We've seen that many guys wearing kilts do not have anything on underneath. I have lived at times in Japan and still have strong connections to it. I find the kimono and in particular the yukata give a great opportunity to freeball. 

The traditional kimono, which is really as formal nowadays as a tuxedo and not worn very often at all, does not work out very well for freeballing -- mainly because it is worn for ceremonial events and people are not likely to move around much. The kimono is also worn tightly bound and can have several undergarments and belts (obi) so that it is not likely to come open. Damn, it must even be difficult to take a leak or squat to use the bathroom. However, the yukata is quite a bit different. It is a casual summer kimono-like one piece outfit -- typically worn for festivals and as night wear / indoor wear at hotsprings resorts and fine hotels. 

Traditionally, Japanese men (and there are some people who do still) wear the yukata and its shorter version (the happi coat) as casual wear -- although mostly it is only during the summer and fall festivals, but a few for daily wear especially during the hot humid summer season. Under the yukata -- and sometimes ONLY without even the yukata-- is worn the traditional Japanese loincloth called the "fundoshi." It is not exactly underwear because it can be worn as swimwear or beach wear, as festival gear, and as an undergarment for a yukata (or kimono). Normally, only men wear a fundoshi, but some guys think it is very sexy for women to wear them .. so you sometimes see women in porno wearing a fundoshi. Fundoshi is not really about freeballing -- it is a wrap that curls up from behind and under and can even tightly bind your balls, but it certainly does not leave much to the imagination once in place. 

There are a couple of styles - -the one for festivals is often twisted into a knotty rope like a thong and rides up the crack of your ass. Other style leave a hanging cover of the front so it's a bit hard to see the guy's encased mound of cock and balls, but this flying droop moves and floats around so you do get a view sometimes. I'm not Japanese and don't have much chance to wear a yukata or fundoshi, but I have an acquaintance in Japan who has been after me to try them. He is a Buddhist priest who is about 35, married with two small children. The place I stay is just next door to the temple so he invariably invites me over when he knows I am in Japan. Perhaps he is just trying to be nice by introducing me to traditional Japanese culture -- Japanese are not very big on evangelical Buddhism (although I hear it does exist). On a recent trip to Tokyo, he insisted on measuring me for a yukata and told me he would have onr made for me and then show me how to wear it and we would go to a fireworks festival wearing a yukata. While he was measuring me, he got down on his knees in front of me (apparently in total innocence) but it sure made me wonder. He first had me pull off my trousers and then he measured about my waist and hips while I standing there in a bare of almost mesh semi see-thru boxers. 

I had to pull my t-shirt down over the front to conceal what could have been a eyeful of my semi-freeballing. The next day he came running up to me again and wanted to measure me again -- he thought he might have made a mistake so it surely did get me to questioning his motives. For now, I will assume he has only my "cross-cultural" education at heart and nothing else. I do have to say that it will be interesting if he wants to teach me how to wear a fundoshi next! There are a few different types of 'fundoshi' style (Japanese loincloths). I guess you might say they are more like "freebutting" instead of freeballing, but what the hell, I think they look pretty cool. This photo above shows a guy's full body tatoo (irezumi) -- still quite popular with a certain segment of the Japanese -- it was strongly associated with gangsters (yakuza) but less so nowadays. 

Notice the twisted rope effect in the crack of his fundoshi -- wonder what that feels like -- maybe it helps keeps his semi-hard so that the spectators can enjoy the festival "show" even more. You can see different lengths of "happi" coats in this pic-- so the fundoshi is not really meant to be covered up -- although it can serve as underwear -- it is more like a 400 year old Japanese Speedo bikini or gym shorts.

 

Starting a local CMNM (Clothed Male Naked Male) Group

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