As I discuss nudity and nudism, I make frequent reference to "non-sexual" as being a critical component of it.
To me, nudity or nudism is non-sexual and I'll define that in a moment. Naked is where nudity becomes sexual and sexual is of course sexual.
So what is "non-sexual" then? Well, obviously it indicates that no sexual contact occurs between the two ore more people who are nude and socializing together.
To understand what my views are and what I mean, we need to break down sexual and non-sexual into two categories: the body and the mind.
When I talk non-sexual, I am specifically referring to the body only. Non-sexual to me, means that whatever happens (an erection, attraction, or whatever), the limits are set that it is a social situation and no touching (self or other) or sex will occur.
The mind is an entirely different matter. When you seperate the mind and the body sexually it becomes more simple to make this distinction. You have little control over the mind and what it thinks or how it reacts; the same can be said over the body as well. However, you do have control over what you choose to do with those thoughts or body reactions.
When socializing nude a man may get an erection. His mind is perceiving a sexual situation, or is deriving pleasure or arousal from the fact that he is nude with someone else. That in and of itself is a sexual thing, clearly; however it need not become a sexual situation. It's ok for the mind to receive pleasure from being nude around another person, to achieve an erection, to enjoy and get pleasure from looking at antoher person nude or being looked at nude. It's all healthy, normal stuff.
What makes it a non-sexual situation is that despite whatever (appropriate) pleasure the mind has going on from the nudity, you have made and make a choice not to act on taking it any further to become sexual. That means no masturbation, no touching the other person and no engaging in sexual activity.
To me, despite whatever the mind has going on, the body has going on, the decision to go ahead and enjoy those sensations and pleasures but not act on them constitutes a non-sexual situation. In the same way you may find a friends boyfriend/girlfriend attractive; when you choose not to do anything about that, you can continue to find them attractive and so, it's not sexual.
Having said all that, there is nothing wrong either with two consenting adults who are nudists, or nude together socially if they wish to become sexual. I am not opposed to that or feel that it's wrong at all. I do feel, however, that it is generally important to set boundaries when socializing nude, especially when you're meeting with someone new or in a new situation.
By setting the boundaries, that you are socializing nude non-sexually, it takes all the pressure off both of you that anything more might happen and what you will do if that happens. Perhaps one of you may find the other attractive, but the other doesn't feel the same way. Perhaps one of you may have a spouse or partner and be monogomous and not want any sexual contact, but are ok with nude socializing. Perhaps you are not at all looking for any sexual encounter, but you do desire to have nude socialization with another person or people. By setting the boundary and expectation that it is non-sexual you establish a critical level of trust with the other person that it is ok to just be nude and that nothing more will happen; regardless of attraction, desire or anything else that occurs in the moment.
You can always adjust your meeting or relationship later or afterwards if things change for you and re-establish new expectations if you're both of the same mind.
I can't tell you how many straight men I have met for the first time to socialize nude, who were concerned with the fact that a gay man would attempt to become sexual with them once they were together. By establishing the situation will be non-sexual (if you can manage to convince a straight man of this, hehehe), it allows a heterosexual man and a gay man to socialize nude without any of the worry or concern. Of course the heterosexual man needs to be comfortable enough with himself that he is accepting of the fact that a gay man will be seeing him naked and derive pleasure from that; however nothing more will take place. The straight men I've met and hung out naked with have become very comfortable after the first awkward meeting. Once they realize I'm not going to try anything with them, they relax and just enjoy hanging out with another guy in the nude. Many of them later confess that while they don't want anything sexual to happen, they do enjoy the attention of being looked at and appreciated or admired even if it's by another man. Affirmations are always enjoyable to get.
I strongly feel that when you are arranging a meeting with another person or group, to establish is as non-sexual if that is both of your intents. If during the meeting, you find each other attractive or you wish more to happen, that can... next time; after a discussion about what the desires and boundaries are.
Matt