Blind Weston women launch naked calendar to tackle stigma

A group of blind women have created a nude calendar to challenge the stigma surrounding vision loss and to show they are “normal women, with normal lives”.

The images for the Weston-super-Mare Blind Naked Calendar 2026 feature nude models’ portraits with a filter, to help depict their own vision loss conditions and will raise money for the charity Deafblind UK.

Josephine Boulter, who is Miss August and November in the calendar, said she came up with the idea after someone made a “patronising” comment while she was on holiday in Butlins.

She said: “It was like he was surprised I could have fun. Then it hit me – let’s do a calendar. Something that says, ‘here we are’.”

She said on the holiday a “patronising” person patted her on the shoulder and said, “well done you. You enjoy yourself”.

“I want to raise awareness that people are more than their sight loss, and hopefully raise a bit of money for Deafblind UK too,” she said.

“I’m fiercely independent, [I] take care of myself.”

Ms Boulter said she was unaware of her vision loss until she was diagnosed at the age of 39 with Bonnet syndrome – a condition in which the brain compensates for missing visual information by filling in the gaps.

“We need people to see us for us, we’re really capable, when you can’t do something you find another way, if you can’t accept it – you move forward,” she added.

Rita Coles, who is Miss April, said she was “proud” she featured in the calendar.

“It was nerve-wracking, but it was good fun,” she added.

Rod Cullen, deputy of CEO of Deafblind UK, said when he heard the idea, he thought it was “perfect”.

The charity, which supports people living with a combination of sight and hearing loss, said deafblindness affects 450,000 people in the UK.

When describing the calendar, Mr Cullen said he thought it was “fantastic”.

“To cut through and find something that really resonates with people is a challenge.

“I hope this calendar has done that, and it’s a big challenge for next year to find something else to go along with,” he added.